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The iPhone 12 is all it would take for Apple to crush Samsung's 5G dominance dreams: report

By Anam Hamid

Published: Jul 05, 2020, 12:35 PM

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The iPhone 12 is all it would take for Apple to crush Samsung's 5G dominance dreams: report

The Galaxy S10 5G, which Samsung released in 2019, was the world's first 5G phone. Huawei soon followed with the Mate 20 X 5G, and the early adoption of the next generation of wireless technology gave the two a head start, enabling them to capture the lion's share of the market. Apple is yet to release a 5G phone, but the iPhone 12 series is just a few months away now, and a new report says it will be a force to reckon with for competing devices.

According to Strategy Analytics, a total of 234 million 5G-enabled smartphones will be sold this year, making up 15 percent of overall sales. In comparison, just 18.6 million 5G-ready smartphones were shipped in 2019, so sales are on track to rise 12-fold.

In Q1 2020, Samsung reportedly dominated the global 5G smartphone market with sales of 8.3 million units, which earned it a market share of 34 percent. It was followed by Huawei, which sold 8 million 5G handsets, which gave it 33.2 percent of the market.

In the US, the Galaxy S20 trio accounted for 94 percent of 5G smartphone sales in the first quarter of the year. In 2019, the Galaxy Note 10 Plus 5G was the most popular 5G phone in the country.

Samsung is so close to losing its 5G throne

In the second half of 2020, the picture could change completely. Huawei's market share is tipped to reduce to 27.3 percent, but it would be enough to make it the top player. Since the rest of the world has kind of shut out Huawei phones, the company has intensified its efforts in its home country of China, which happens to be one of the world's largest smartphone markets and local sales will majorly be behind its shipments.

Apple is expected to be the second top seller of 5G phones in H2 2020 with a share of 21.4 percent. Samsung will likely slide down to the third position with 17.8 percent of the market.

Per Strategy Analytics' estimate, Apple will dethrone Huawei to become the number one 5G smartphone seller in 2021 on the back of strong demand from the US and Europe and the expansion of 5G networks.

The 5G smartphone market is forecasted to reach 600 million units next year, with Apple making 24.2 percent of the sales. It will probably be followed by Huawei with 22.2 percent of the market. Samsung's share will apparently be reduced to 15.1 percent, a far cry from where it stands now.

Samsung's affordable 5G-handsets would be of little help in developing regions

Samsung has been aggressively trying to expand its 5G portfolio to improve accessibility. However, affordable 5G phones are no good in regions where 5G services are not available and according to the report, Samsung would only be able to bounce back when 5G networks are deployed in developed countries such as India and Indonesia.

The economic setback fueled by the pandemic can be a huge deterrent and undermine 5G plans in emerging nations.

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Anam Hamid is a computer scientist turned tech journalist who has a keen interest in the tech world, with a particular focus on smartphones and tablets. She has previously written for Android Headlines and has also been a ghostwriter for several tech and car publications. Anam is not a tech hoarder and believes in using her gadgets for as long as possible. She is concerned about smartphone addiction and its impact on future generations, but she also appreciates the convenience that phones have brought into our lives. Anam is excited about technological advancements like folding screens and under-display sensors, and she often wonders about the future of technology. She values the overall experience of a device more than its individual specs and admires companies that deliver durable, high-quality products. In her free time, Anam enjoys reading, scrolling through Reddit and Instagram, and occasionally refreshing her programming skills through tutorials.