5G smartphone sales in the US is expected to exceed five million units in 2019 as carriers ramp their 5G networks and device portfolios, according to Counterpoint Research.
Global 5G smartphone sales will reach 22 million units, according to our estimates. Overall, the US will lead the market in 5G smartphone sales, followed by China.
Speaking about US sales, Jeff Fieldhack, Research Director at Counterpoint Research said, "Currently, 5G smartphone sales are limited as the LG V50 and the Samsung S10 5G are the only devices available. The mmWave supporting Samsung S10 5G was exclusive to Verizon until the end of June, but all major carriers have launched it now. H2 2019 will see a sharp increase in 5G smartphone sales as carriers expand their coverage and more 5G devices launch. Expansion in mmWave capable devices will be key for growth as consumers will see the dramatic speed increases over LTE."
Except for Apple, all major OEMs such as Samsung, LG, Motorola, ZTE, and OnePlus will sell 5G smartphones in H2 2019. Fieldhack added, "We believe Apple will not have a 5G capable iPhone available until 2020. If Apple had launched a 5G device this year, we believe that the US market size for 5G would have been at least 60% higher than the current estimate."
Research Analyst, Maurice Klaehne said, "Initially we thought there would be a high concentration of 5G smartphone sales where there is 5G coverage. However, our research indicates that 5G smartphones are being bought all across the country. This trend will likely increase as consumers seek to future-proof their purchase for the next several years."
