IT was in January 2022 that sales of 5G smartphones surpassed those of 4G mobiles worldwide for the first time, according to the latest figures from Counterpoint. The growing offer of compatible handsets is logically helping drive this shift.


Some 51% of smartphones sold in January were 5G compatible -- the first time ever that they make up the majority. China, North America and Western Europe are the main drivers of this growth. In China, for example, 5G smartphone penetration has now reached 84%.


This is mainly due to the lead taken by Chinese operators in terms of infrastructure, but also to the plethora of compatible devices available from local manufacturers.


In Europe, three quarters of new smartphone sales involve 5G devices (76%). And it's the same story in North America (73%).


The fact that all new models from the market's biggest vendors -- Chinese manufacturers, of course, but also Samsung and Apple -- are now 5G-capable, naturally contributes to this increase in sales.


On the other hand, the prices of 5G smartphones are no longer as high as they were a year or two ago and 5G connectivity is now a feature of many mid-range models.


Soon, entire ranges will be fully 5G compatible. When that happens, Asia-Pacific, the Middle East and Latin America will also see widespread uptake of these new-generation smartphones.