4G to soon beat 3G in smart telephony

4G continues to gain market share in the smartphone and feature phone market

Fourth generation (4G) handset technology is expected to comprehensively beat its predecessor, reversing the trend of increasingly shorter eras in newer wireless network frameworks. 

The 4G LTE technology that currently dominates the handset market in India will match 3G’s feat of holding over half the smartphone market for a little over two and a half years by March. And, is expected to rule over the local market till mid-2021, a run of six years.

Second generation mobile handset technology or 2G had the longest run so far, 17 years, till 3G overtook it in early 2013. Introduced in 1995, the 2G technology had a long run, banking on feature phones, and oversaw the introduction of smartphones in India. While 3G tech was first introduced in 2010, it gained over half the smartphone market only in February 2013. It lost  to 4G LTE in October 2015, in the wake of the smartphone revolution.

Come March, as mentioned earlier, and 4G that continues to gain market share in the smartphone and feature phone market will match its record. 

Currently, 4G LTE comprises 96 per cent of all new smartphones sold in India. It also began gaining traction in the feature phone market since late last year, when local vendors began introducing basic phones operating on 4G. 

The entry of Reliance Jio last September further shifted the focus on the technology, with a ‘voice over’ feature bringing it at the doorsteps of consumers opting for cheaper feature phone models. Of late, major service providers Airtel and Vodafone have come with 4G handsets priced under Rs 1,500, after Jio’s entry into the segment this year.

4G’s future is not riding on the surging tide of attractive offers from Jio and other service providers. Unlike its predecessors, no newer technology seems to be breathing down on its neck for the next few years. Fifth generation (5G) telecom networks are only expected to become operational in 2020.

4G was the fastest to capture half the smartphone market here. While it took close to 36 months for 3G, this was managed by 4G in less than 30 months. 

Analysts predict it could take 5G at least 15 months to gain half the smartphone market by volume, as the handset market here is fast evolving. And, the gap between availability of latest handset technologies in other larger markets like China and the US and in India is becoming shorter.

Going Strong

• 4G LTE, now at its prime, meets 3G’s feat of dominating smartphone market for a little over 2.5 years
• It will reverse the trend of newer generations of smart telephony having a shorter lifespan by beating 3G by March 2018
• 4G LTE, which continues to gain smartphone market share, is expected to have a much longer run than 3G
• Its hold is expected to wane only by mid-2021, after 5G is introduced in 2020 and gains over 50% share
• Introduced in April 2012, 4G crossed 50% smartphone market share in the second half of 2015