Despite not even having a 5G iPhone on the market, Apple is tipped to take a majority bite out of the global 5G market, ripping the smartphone leader position away from Samsung by Q3 2020 as global smartphone makers are expected to ship 450 million 5G handsets in 2021 plus another 750 million in 2022.

Research firm Strategy Analytics currently identifies Samsung as the current market leader for 5G smartphones, though not for long as Apple is tipped to take the top spot by Q3 2020.

It comes as Qualcomm expects global smartphone shipments to grow by 125% from the middle of 2020 thanks to the speed of 5G adoption.

Qualcomm attributes the increase in 5G adoption to the commercialisation of the technology in China and the availability of chipsets at different price points.

Despite Apple not having a 5G handset, the Global 5G Smartphone Shipments Forecast by Vendor by Region by Quarter shows Apple as the emerging market dominator with the expectation of three new 5G models next year.

For Apple to take the lead, it needs only to match its current upgrade rates, according to the report, though with device lifecycles growing larger and larger with each new release, Apple may struggle even with the temptation of 5G.

Samsung, however, will need to stand by patiently, as the report claims the South Korean company will regain the 5G crown by ‘virtue of its dominance of the overall smartphone market’.

Unfortunately for Huawei, despite its dominance in China, alongside Apple, the current US trade ban has dampened the companies prospects, limiting their chances of becoming 5G market leaders.