NEW DELHI : Adoption of 5G-enabled smartphones in India is expected to more than triple and account for 40% of overall shipments this year, against just 12% in 2021, international market research firm Gfx said in a report.

However, the increase in 5G-enabled handsets could simultaneously result in spiking the overall price of handsets sold in the Indian smartphone market in 2022, the report added, pointing out that 5G handsets were priced 117% above the average selling price of ?15,000 in India this year.

In February, Counterpoint Research reported that India shipped more than 10 million 5G smartphones in 2021 for the first time, growing at 555% from the year before. Total smartphone shipments stood at 169 million last year, up 11%.

Kartik Vasudevan, strategic accounts director, India, at GfK, said the Department of Telecommunications’ decision to conduct 5G spectrum auctions this year has spurred interest in 5G devices as consumers want to “future proof" their devices. “5G enabled handsets will play a key role as India gets ready to roll out 5G services in the near future," he added.

According to Faisal Kawoosa, founder and chief analyst at market research firm techARC, chipmakers are also pushing brands to use 5G chips in their new line-up of smartphones. “Chipmakers are not encouraging brands to buy 4G chips. They are offering them incentives to switch to 5G chips," he said.