The Indian market is rapidly increasing the shipment of 5G smartphones to cater to the growing demand for 5G-ready devices. As reported by several analysts, the device makers are expected to elevate the shipment of 5G smartphones up to 30-40 million by the end of 2021. The 5G network deployment in the Indian market is being piloted by telco giants Reliance Jio, Bharti Airtel and Vodafone Idea. India already stands in the fourth position in terms of 5G smartphones shipment.
5G Continues to be Crucial Feature in a Smartphone
Tarun Pathak, Research director at Counterpoint Research, expressed his views and marked that 5G continues to be one of the lucrative features in a smartphone. Consumers are hunting down smartphones that would be 5G-ready. Navkendar Singh, Research Director, Client Devices & IPDS, IDC India, stated that the Chinese market is pushing the 5G ecosystem.
Companies are investing in SKUs, and renowned brands like MediaTek is extending their support by offering affordable chipsets to open up the market. A device first strategy is because China is leading the 5G ecosystem. Once India reaches around 40 million 5G smartphones shipments, it will account for a quarter of the total shipments. IDC estimates that 5G smartphones will contribute 24% shipments towards overall smartphone shipments in 2021.
India Has a Unique Contribution in 5G Development
India stands at a unique position in terms of 5G development. Even though the technology is still under the trial phase, the sale of the 5G-ready smartphone has skyrocketed. Smartphone brands are highlighting the 5G feature through various marketing campaigns. Among the top 5G vendors, Realme had the highest share in the 5G contribution, with a market share of around 23% in the second quarter. OnePlus on the other side led the premium 5G smartphone in the second quarter. Realme has recently revealed that smartphones priced above Rs 15,000 will be 5G-enabled in the second half of 2021. The top telecom operators in the Indian market, Reliance Jio, Bharti Airtel and Vodafone Idea, has already initiated 5G trials across various cities in the mmWave bands. Ericsson, Nokia and Samsung are extending their support to telecom operators to accelerate the 5G field trials. Reliance Jio is planning big, and it is working on its own 5G radio and core technologies in Navi Mumbai.
