Recently, according to Bloomberg, Apple's iPhone led the mobile industry to a milestone in January 2022, pushing smartphones using 5G cellular networks to account for more than half of the world's overall smartphone sales for the first time.
According to Counterpoint Research, a global industry analyst firm, smartphones with 5G technology already account for 51% of global smartphone sales. 5G connectivity is seen as a key enabler of transformative technologies such as autonomous driving and factory automation, and China is one of the most aggressive markets in expanding its availability. China's telecom regulator said it would add 600,000 base stations this year to boost 5G coverage, bringing the total well over 2 million.
According to the data, Chinese brands Xiaomi, OPPO and vivo each account for about 10% of global 5G mobile phone sales, most of which come from China. Apple's strong sales in the Chinese market account for 37% of the total. Samsung Electronics pioneered 5G-compatible devices in 2019 and remains the world's largest smartphone maker, but its share of the global 5G market is limited to 12% due to its lagging position in the Chinese market.
In the battle for 5G mobile phone sales, Apple is far ahead with a market share of 37%, which is also due to the hot sales of the iPhone in China. Earlier this month, Apple unveiled the cheaper 5G phone, the iPhone SE, and cut the entry price to $429. This is also expected to bring its 5G mobile phone sales to a new height.