While the first 5G mobile phones have only begun to hit the market and are still viewed as novelty devices rather than necessary ones, their market share is expected to grow by 43% in just two years according to Gartner.
Though in 2019, smartphones with 5G connectivity were newfangled inventions, their popularity is predicted by research firm Gartner to soar over the next few years. The company forecasts that in 2020, 5G devices will make up 12% of mobile phone shipments, which will rise to 43% by 2022.
Over the next few years, Gartner explains that the expansion of 5G service coverage and drop in 5G smartphone prices will lead to this change. Right now, mostly only spendy flagship devices support (or will support it when launched later this year) the new cellular network like Samsung's Galaxy 10 series, Huawei's Mate X and Mate 30 Pro, and OnePlus's 7 Pro, all of which have price tags upward of $800.
The launch of more affordable 5G options and better service will help push global smartphone sales from negative 2% in 2019 to a positive 1.7% in 2020.
By 2023, smartphones with 5G connectivity are expected to make up 50% of all mobile devices shipped.
