Adoption of connected devices with integrated 4G LTE exploded in 2012, driven by Samsung’s (005930) Galaxy smartphone lineup and Apple’s (AAPL) iPhone 5. According to a new report from market research firm ABI, global LTE-enabled connected device sales ballooned to 103 million units last year. Smartphones accounted for about 88% of all LTE devices sold with 91 million units, and just over 3.3 million LTE-enabled tablets were sold in 2012. “New sign-ups and conversion of 3G subscribers with LTE-capable handsets should gather pace in 2013 and 2014,” ABI research director Phil Solis said. “By 2017 we are anticipating 785 LTE million subscribers, up from 58 million at the end of 2012 – generating US$14 billion in annual service revenues.”
iPhone 5 and Galaxy smartphones drove huge LTE adoption in 2012
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