This is mainly due to the increased adoption of 5G by Chinese brands, helped in large part by the push for 5G by Chinese telecom operators.
In 2019, Samsung kicked off the 5G race by bringing a 5G version of the Galaxy S10 to consumers. Many of the best Android phones have since followed suit, mainly from Chinese manufacturers such as Xiaomi, OnePlus and OPPO.
There was no shortage of 5G-enabled smartphones from Chinese OEMs in 2021. For example, the Oppo Reno 5 Pro 5G debuted early last year to compete with Samsung’s top 5G phones, for this China had the highest 5G phone sales penetration rate in the world at 84%.
North America and Western Europe had 73% and 76% market penetration respectively. Apple dominated these markets with a sales share of over 50% and 30%, respectively.
Smartphone manufacturers are expected to boost their 5G initiatives in Asia-Pacific, the Middle East and Latin America. With companies like Xiaomi and OPPO recently unveiling their latest 5G devices, it looks like we’ll continue to see 5G eclipse 4G smartphone sales down the road.