In the run-up to 5G becoming real, Qualcomm has played a critical leadership role in laying the foundation for mobile 5G. It is evident from the number of partners Qualcomm has in the initial 5G roll-out. From 4 partners for 4G LTE to 20 partners for 5G, Qualcomm is working with the entire Android ecosystem, barring a few exceptions, such as Huawei.

While 5G is now very close to becoming real, it is prudent to note in the Indian context that there is a lot of a work that lies ahead. There are various themes that need redressal, including impending spectrum auctions, infrastructure upgradation and the readiness of debt-laden telecommunication companies. As such, it will be sometime in early 2020  when 5G will kick-off in India.

As per internal research estimates by CMR, the initial 5G-capable devices will hit the India market by 2020, and contribute to potentially around 3% of smartphone shipments a year later.  By 2025, CMR estimates point to 5G smartphone shipments constituting 16% of the total smartphone shipments in the hyper-competitive Indian market.

While 5G sees a modest spike, 4G will continue to dominate.