4G IoT Cellular Modules Seen Peaking in 2018, With 5G to Dominate by 2024

Sales of 4G IoT cellular modules will peak within two years when 5G modules hit the market, with the automotive market accounting for the majority of IoT cellular modules through 2025, said a Strategy Analytics report Thursday. Sales of 5G modules will reach an inflection point in 2024 when they begin to outsell 4G modules, it said. Large-scale, machine-type communications won’t be in the first release of the 5G standard, said analyst Andrew Brown, but critical components such as ultra-low latency and high reliability will be standardized in the first release and completed by 2018. Low latency and long modem battery life are some of the benefits of 5G networks that will open up possibilities for IoT cellular devices and enable use cases such as remote surgery with sense of touch and real-time video, said analyst Matt Wilkins.