Smartphone makers, not least Apple, have long hoped that the widespread rollout of 5G will encourage users to buy new, compatible, devices. However, Wired highlighted some recent research that indicated this might not be the case.
Research released this week by analyst firm Gartner predicts that UK smartphone sales will not just fail to surge, they will flatline with zero per cent growth expected. Despite the continuing rollout of the 5G network and additional 5G-ready phones coming on the market, the UK is literally not buying into the 5G hype. This is more bad news after a poor year for major smartphone manufacturers in 2019: in the opening quarter Apple and Samsung combined sold almost 17.5 million fewer smartphones globally compared to 2018. The reason, analysts explained at the time, was that people did not feel the urge to upgrade their devices as often as they used to, partially because smartphones are now so much more expensive.
Check It Out: 5G is Not Going to Save UK Smartphone Sales
Make a case that a)5G will do anything for my use case. So far Ive heard a lot of hype, but nothing that would impact how I would use my phone. B) that 5G will be in my area and areas that I frequent any time soon. It’s all fine and good to get it everywhere in downtown New York, or LA, but what about Springfield Oregon? Qualicum Beach BC? Marshall Minnesota? More importantly all the spaces in between.
Until they can do both of these, I’m in no hurry to jump on the bandwagon. My phone does what I need as it is.