According to the report, 65-70 percent of phones sold in Q3 2014 were smartphones, up from 55 percent a year ago. Around 37 percent of mobile subscriptions are now linked to a smartphone.
Ericsson's report also highlights the growing importance of video in driving mobile network traffic. On 4G networks, video already accounts for 45-55 percent of traffic. Thanks to the faster networks, video is increasingly used on news sites and in advertising. The growing use of smartphones, and especially their ever-improving cameras and screens, also supports the expanding OTT video market.
Ericsson expects video traffic to grow 14-fold by 2020, when it will account for around 55 percent of all mobile data traffic. By the same time, 5G mobile networks should be launched commercially. However, the growth in 5G networks will not be driven by just consumer applications such as video, but more by machine-powered communication, Ericsson expects.
