IHS: China's 4G smartphone shipments are expected to grow 15 times in 2014

According to market research firm IHS, China's 4G smartphone market will enter a period of rapid growth in 2014, with 4G smartphone shipments expected to increase 15 times from last year.

IHS predicts that China's 4G smartphone shipments will reach 72.4 million this year, nearly 15 times the 4.6 million in 2013. IHS predicts that the 4G smartphone market will enter a period of rapid growth in the second half of this year.

IHS said that this is the second year that 4G smartphones have entered China. Two years ago, there was almost no 4G smartphone market in China.

China's 4G smartphone market will continue to grow in the next few years, with shipments expected to double again to 144 million units next year and then grow another 53% to 219.8 million units. By the end of 2017, China's 4G smartphone shipments are expected to increase to 298.5 million units.

IHS predicts that the total shipment of smartphones in China will reach 371.8 million this year, of which 4G smartphones will account for only 19%. 3G smartphones will still be the mainstream of the market, and 2G smartphones will also have a certain market share. It is expected that in the next two years, 3G smartphones will still be the mainstream of the Chinese smartphone market, and then their leading position will be replaced by 4G smartphones.

Kevin Wang, director of IHS China market research, said: "With government support and growing public demand, 4G smartphones will become a new hot spot in China's smartphone market. The Chinese government has issued TD-LTE licenses to the three major operators."