Flagship Devices from The Top Two OEMs Driving Shipments of 5G mmWave Smartphones to 128 Million in 2021

The 5G smartphone market is becoming the most accelerated mobile technology generation ever, offering an extensive opportunity across the network options of both 5G sub-6 Gigahertz (GHz) and mmWave, which can enable ultra-fast data throughput using very short-range networks. However, up until now, the use of mmWave in smartphones has been limited at best, but this is about to change. According to ABI Research, the global 5G smartphones market is set to show phenomenal growth in 2021, reaching over 500m units, driven by an acceleration down the price tiers improving affordability and adoption. Forming an integral part of this volume is the expected rise in shipments of mmWave-enabled phones, accounting for 25% of 5G sales in 2021 compared to less than 7% in 2020, growing to command a 43% share by 2026. It was not so long ago that the practical use of 5G NR mmWave technology in mobile devices had been severely challenging, mainly owing to the significant restrictions of limited network coverage and being overtly costly to implement. “Despite these initial market concerns, many technology barriers have since been overcome. Now 5G mmWave in smartphones is set to grow extensively in 2021 and beyond, driven by its use in Apple’s latest iPhones destined mainly for the company’s important U.S. market,” explains David McQueen, Research Director at ABI Research. “The underlying comple...