Indian consumers are buying 5G-enabled smartphones even before rollout of the next-gen mobile broadband technology in the country.

About 20-25% of the total smartphone sales this year will be 5G-enabled phones, according to research firm International Data Corporation (IDC). Research firm Canalys estimates 5G phones to capture 15-18% of total sales while another market intelligence firm CyberMedia Research (CMR) estimates the share of 5G phones to be in the 16-20% range in 2021.

What’s driving the adoption?Competitive pricing of 5G smartphones with 4G variants is the key factor driving its popularity. Chinese smartphone brands Oppo and Realme are aggressively pushing their 5G portfolio in the country at price points of Rs 15,000 while the likes of Xiaomi, OnePlus and Apple have 5G offerings in the mid-premium and premium range above Rs 30,000.