Mobile subscriptions are expected to reach 9.3 billion by 2019, and more than 60 per cent of these, or 5.6 billion, will be for smartphones, according to the latest Ericsson Mobility Report. Currently, smartphones represent 25-30 per cent of all mobile phone subscriptions, yet they account for the majority (55 percent) of mobile phones sold in the third quarter of this year.
The report also noted that WCDMA/HSPA networks are predicted to cover 90 per cent of the world's population by 2019, with almost two-thirds (65 per cent) of the world's population covered by LTE networks by that point.
"The rapid pace of smartphone uptake has been phenomenal and is set to continue," said Douglas Gilstrap, senior vice president and head of strategy at Ericsson. "It took more than five years to reach the first billion smartphone subscriptions, but it will take less than two to hit the 2 billion mark. Between now and 2019, smartphone subscriptions will triple."
Ericsson noted that the trend will be driven by the growing adoption of smartphones in China and other emerging markets as a greater number of lower-priced smartphones become available. Report