As the rollout of 5G is progressing every quarter, so are the sales of 5G-enabled smartphones. According to a report by Counterpoint Research, 5G smartphone sales are expected to reach 8.4 million units in South Korea this year. OEMs like Samsung and LG are thriving to release more affordable 5G devices in the country.
Last year, 5G smartphones only made up 28% of the total sales in South Korea. However, this year, it is expected to reach 48% as per market analyst Counterpoint Research.
5G services were commercialized by carriers in the country last April. Since then, they have managed to garner 5.77 million subscribers as of last week, according to the Science Ministry of South Korea.
According to Counterpoint, 13 new 5G smartphones will be released in the country in 2020, which is almost double than 7 5G devices launched in 2019.
Samsung has already launched its first set of commercial 5G smartphones in the country in the form of the Galaxy S20 series. The next devices to hit the market will be more affordable like the recently announced Galaxy A51 5G and Galaxy A71 5G. The company also plans to release Galaxy A91 5G in the second half of the year.
On the other hand, LG has so far launched only one 5G smartphone (V60 ThinQ) in the country this year. But the list will grow soon as the company is expected to launch new mid-range 5G smartphones under the newly announced ‘Velvet’ series. It may also launch 5G-enabled Q series smartphones in the second half of the year.
Lastly, even Apple is expected to debut its first 5G smartphone in the second half of 2020. Anyway, the projected South Korean 5G smartphones sales figure may vary based on the market’s recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic.
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