Global 5G to take off by 2021, according to Ericsson

With every improvement in network speed, new wireless markets emerge. 5G technology is not only poised to expand the smartphone market but will also make possible wireless broadband to homes, to businesses and even vehicles. In Ericsson’s latest Mobility Report cited Statista, there will be 3.4 billion 4G (LTE) smartphone subscriptions worldwide by the end of this year. Ericsson puts global 5G smartphone subscriptions at 54 million by the end of 2020 and two years later, however, the company expects the worldwide 5G population to rise to 551 million.

Verizon and Samsung issued a joint press release, touting the new technology and announcing Samsung’s first 5G smartphone for the first half of 2019: “5G mobility service will provide massive bandwidth, greater opportunities for connectivity and improved network reliability. When fully implemented, it will offer capacity and download speed many times faster than today’s 4G LTE network.”

According to a Bloomberg report, Apple will wait until at least 2021 before releasing a 5G iPhone. While Apple has a history of waiting for new cellular technology to mature before adopting it, delaying the switch to 5G could prove costly, some experts argue, according to Statista.