Strategy Analytics: Global 5G smartphone shipments are expected to reach 199 million in 2020

Strategy Analytics' latest research report points out that global 5G smartphone shipments will reach 199 million by 2020. The panic of the new coronavirus and the global economic slowdown will limit the sales of 5G smartphones this year.

Ken Hyers, Director at Strategy Analytics, said: “Global 5G smartphone shipments will grow more than tenfold to 199 million units in 2020 from 19 million units in 2019. The 5G segment will be the fastest growing part of the global smartphone industry this year. Consumers want faster 5G smartphones to experience richer content, such as videos or games. We forecast 5G penetration to grow from 1% of all smartphone shipments worldwide in 2019 to 15% in 2020.”

Ville-Petteri Ukonaho, Associate Director at Strategy Analytics, added: “China, the United States, South Korea, Japan and Germany are by far the largest 5G smartphone markets this year. Together, the top five countries will account for 90% of global 5G smartphone sales in 2020. However, other important regions, such as India and Indonesia, are lagging behind and will not offer 5G smartphones on a mass market basis for at least the next one or two years.”

Neil Mawston, Executive Director at Strategy Analytics, added: “The global 5G smartphone industry is growing rapidly, but the ongoing coronavirus scare and subsequent economic slowdown will limit overall 5G demand this year. The COVID-19 outbreak is currently restricting smartphone production in Asia and disrupting supply chains; in addition, in some parts of China, consumers are unable to go to retail stores to buy new 5G devices. The scale of the 5G smartphone market in the first half of 2020 was much weaker than expected, but we expect the 5G smartphone market to rebound strongly in the second half of the year if the epidemic is brought under control.”