5G Smartphones Risk Being ‘Niche’ if Not Properly Messaged to Consumers, Says ABI

ABI Research forecasts the global smartphone market will rise 4.1 percent to just under 1.6 billion shipments in 2019, with 5G and flexible displays the “catalysts” that will “galvanize” the industry and drive replacement-device growth. For 5G to become the “silver bullet” that smartphone vendors are pinning their hopes on will require that they adopt new messaging strategies for the consumer, it said Wednesday. With 5G as the “fulcrum,” the smartphone market will “witness the introduction of new device form factors that leverage a host of new and improved technologies,” said ABI. Vendors “will need to ensure that these latest innovations provide a clear purpose to consumers, offering strong reasons for purchase, or else they run the risk of becoming low-volume niche products,” it said.