‘Critical Mass’ to Elude 5G MmWave Smartphones in 2022: ABI

COVID-19 pandemic-fueled growth will continue next year for the wearables and wireless headsets sectors, but 5G millimeter-wave smartphone shipments won’t reach “critical mass,” reported ABI Research Tuesday on top tech trends for watch in 2022. “With more time being spent at home, the pandemic has seen an uptick in the use of wireless headsets, driven by the need for personalized audio experiences that minimize external distractions and achieve high-quality sound,” said ABI. It forecasts that wireless headset shipments will reach more than 1 billion units globally in 2026 and will lead the smart accessories market, it said. “Ecosystem momentum” for 5G mmWave “is gathering pace as a number of regions are targeting deployments,” said ABI. But even with “tangible indicators” that mmWave is beginning to appear in more smartphone models, it will be less than 5% of global sales in 2022, it said.