As well as mobile device news we also like to keep readers informed
about other mobile technology and today we’re looking at LTE smartphones
and their surge in popularity. It doesn’t seem too long ago that we
were writing about the first LTE networks and LTE-equipped phones but
new figures about LTE adoption suggest LTE smartphones are now standard
and no longer viewed as luxury items.
LTE (Long Term Evolution) is a high-speed data wireless communication
standard and the first service to be publicly available was launched in
Oslo and Stockholm in 2009. In the US the first large-scale LTE
network was launched by Verizon in 2010 and some of the first LTE
devices for North America were the Samsung Galaxy Indulge and the HTC
Thunderbolt in 2011. In the UK, EE recently became the first LTE provider.
Although this all seems to have happened recently it’s pretty
staggering just how fast LTE has taken off. New research this week from
Strategy Analytics regarding Q4, 2012, displayed an almost unbelievable
statistic. It showed “phenomenal” adoption of LTE handsets to the tune
of more than 1100% annual growth. This was “led by Samsung and Apple devices in developed markets,” and definitely shows that LTE smartphones are now becoming the norm.
Unsurprisingly shipments of 3G smartphones slowed over the same
period. Now that 4G LTE is being offered by an increasing amount of
carriers the next big challenge will be VoLTE
(Voice Over LTE) services that will also enable calls over LTE as well
as data. We wonder how long it will take before that becomes
commonplace too?
Are you surprised at just how quickly the use of LTE smartphones has
risen? Would you still consider a non-LTE phone or maybe you are one of
the many who feel that LTE is now standard? Send your comments to let
us know.
Source: Strategy Analytics
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