A recent DigiTimes Research reveals that global smartphone shipments in 2019 will be under 1.5 billion. The research reveals that the main cause for this is the infancy of the 5G framework, network infrastructure, and device development. Adding to that is also the fact that the 4G ecosystem is not yet complete. The state of 5G being in its infancy does not yet generate a need to replace or upgrade our current (or old) technology-based models.

In fact, it will be 2020 when we will start thinking 5G has developed enough for us to make a change, claims the research. The general development and deployment of 5G services, networks, and devices will push the number to 1.7 billion units in 2023.

Looking at the status quo, and projecting towards the near future, the research makes some predictions. Samsung, Apple, Huawei, and Xiaomi will continue to be the top-four smartphone vendors in 2019. The research also predicts that OPPO and Vivo will see a decline, but, it will not be as dramatic. The two companies will manage to hold on to their 5th and 6th place, respectively.

The report says that the top four mentioned above will manage to ship “100 million units in 2019, but OPPO is likely to see its shipments drop to below 90 million units and Vivo’s shipments to sink below 70 million units in the year“. An important takeaway is that the prediction puts HMD ahead of Meizu for 11th spot. TCL, Asustek Computer and ZTE will trail behind Meizu to rank from 13th to 15nth.