Newly announced 5G devices include drones, laptops and robots
The 5G ecosystem continues to ramp up, with the Global mobile Suppliers Association reporting that the number of announced 5G devices has more than doubled in the last three months. Twenty-six new devices were added just in June, the organization said, and there are now 90 commercial 5G devices announced, from 39 vendors.
While the majority of announced 5G devices are smartphones, new form factors reported for the first time include laptops, drones and robots. According to the GSA’s monthly report on the 5G device ecosystem, there are now 25 5G mobile phones (plus regional variants), 7 hot spots, 23 customer premise equipment devices and 23 5G modules; four routers (including two internet of things routers), two drones, one laptop, one switch, one USB terminal and one robot.
As the overall smartphone market navigates a slow-down due to consumers holding onto their existing devices longer, 5G is seen as the possible source of a jump-start for new growth. IDC has predicted that there will be about 6.7 million 5G devices shipped this year, out of a total of nearly 1.4 billion devices; but by 2023, the firm predicts, 5G smartphones will account for about one out of every four smartphones shipped globally.
“As we see operators commercially launching their first 5G services, … this is being mirrored in the wider 5G ecosystem with a significant acceleration in the rate of new device announcements,” said GSA President Joe Barrett. “Significantly, we’re also seeing range of form factors continue to grow as manufacturers turn to 5G to deliver the connectivity in their new devices. While not all devices are available immediately and specification details remain limited for some devices, what is beyond any doubt is that the 5G vendor ecosystem is racing to fulfill a need in the market for an ever-increasing range of connected devices capable of delivering new services, experiences and economies.”
Looking for more insights on 5G devices? Download the RCR Wireless News special report on Getting 5G Devices to Market and check out the 5G devices webinar.
