According to the latest research from Strategy Analytics, global 4G/4G/LTE smartphone shipments will grow threefold to reach 275 million units in 2013. It will be a record year for 4G/4G/LTE technology. Companies leading the growth spurt will include Apple, Samsung, LG, Nokia and others.

Strategy Analytics forecasts global 4G/LTE smartphone shipments to triple from 90.9 million units in 2012 to 275.0 million in 2013. Major countries driving 4G/LTE growth next year will include the United States, United Kingdom, Japan, China and South Korea. Multiple operators, such as Verizon Wireless, Everything Everywhere and NTT Docomo, are aggressively expanding their 4G/LTE networks. Key vendors leading the push into 4G/LTE smartphones will include Apple, Samsung, LG, Nokia, HTC, Motorola, Blackberry, Huawei, ZTE and Pantech.

“It is clear that 2013 will be the year of 4G. 4G/LTE smartphone shipments worldwide will exceed a quarter-billion units for the first time,” said Neil Mawston, executive director at Strategy Analytics.

Multiple operators and multiple phone vendors will be launching dozens of 4G/LTE models across numerous countries worldwide. 4G/LTE has quickly become a high-growth, high-value market that no operator, service developer, component maker or device vendor can afford to ignore.

“The global 4G/LTE smartphone market will triple in size during 2013. The 4G/LTE smartphone market has become highly valuable and we believe it will eventually attract new entrants seeking a slice of the 4G pie, such as Amazon or Mozilla. However, we caution possible new entrants like Amazon will not find it easy to break into the fiercely competitive 4G/LTE smartphone market and they will need breakthrough products that are strongly differentiated in areas such as design, price or services,” said Linda Sui, an analyst at Strategy Analytics.

Tags: 4G/LTE, 4G, LTE, Apple, Samsung, LG, Nokia, HTC, Motorola, Blackberry, Huawei, ZTE, Pantech