Visible progress has been made toward network readiness and the availability of 5G telecommunications in the first quarter of 2021, after delays last year resulting from the Covid-19 pandemic, sources have told Fastmarkets.
There has been already a significant ramping-up of the uptake of 5G devices so far this year. The Global Mobile Suppliers Association (GSA), in its 5G devices summary for March 2021, reported that the number of different 5G devices commercially available has risen by more than 28% over the past quarter, and was now at 431 commercial 5G devices, representing 61.3% of all announced 5G devices for the year.Revenue at technology giant Apple was up by 54% in the first quarter of the year to $89.6 billion, led by iPhone sales that were up by two-thirds from a year ago with consumers upgrading to 5G-enabled models - the first iPhones to offer 5G connectivity, the company said on Wednesday April 28. Total iPhone sales increased...