realme commits 5G phones to 100 million young consumers within three years in first virtual 5G Summit

realme, the world's fastest-growing smartphone brand, today announced at its inaugural virtual 5G summit that it would enable 100 million young consumers to use and access 5G smartphones within the next three years.

Held in partnership with tech powerhouses GSMA, Counterpoint Research and Qualcomm, realme also revealed that new models in its GT series, realme 5G performance and camera flagships, will be launched globally in June and July 2021, respectively, among several other corporate initiatives to promote 5G adoption globally.

With the theme “Making 5G Global: Accessibility for All”, realme’s virtual 5G summit brought together leaders from industry associations, research institutions, and component vendors and device manufacturers to share their insights on several 5G topics, particularly the current global 5G connectivity. This includes the driving forces behind it, the technical aspect to 5G evolution, the unique relationship between 5G and the younger generation, and how to further facilitate 5G accessibility in the future.

At the summit, realme reaffirmed its commitment to becoming a key player in 5G and shared its latest pledge to advance the adoption of 5G in global markets as it aims to bring the technology to more users worldwide.

In 2020, realme launched 14 5G devices in 21 markets, accounting for around 40% of all its products. By 2022, the company aims to increase the number of its 5G offerings to over 20, upping the ratio to 70% across 50 markets. realme also plans to take the industry lead with the launch of more affordable 5G devices in the next few years, a move that is set to further accelerate 5G adoption, especially across the rapidly emerging economies.

“Starting with our first 5G model, the realme X50, we have been exploring new design concepts and technical innovations to bring users more slimline and design-rich 5G phones that have a powerful performance. We believe that in the 5G era, helping to accelerate the adoption of this new technology is a crucial mission for realme,” said realme VP and CEO for India and Europe Madhav Sheth.

“We will work hard to help popularize 5G by listening more to consumers’ needs, pushing forward product innovation, and helping to build the broader 5G ecosystem with our industry partners.” the realme regional executive added.

In the Philippines, the realme X50 was launched as the brand’s first 5G offering in December 2020. As the virtual 5G summit indicated, the brand’s Filipino squad can look forward to realme revolutionizing the local market once again as it gears up to lead the #LeapTo5G.

Making 5G accessible to today’s youth
True to its advocacy for youth empowerment, realme pushes for full access and integration to cater to diverse needs of today’s youth.

“realme believes that 5G is for the younger generation - internet natives who are looking for ways to connect and express themselves beyond the physical world. As a brand that’s dedicated to young consumers, realme tries to listen carefully to what they expect from 5G technology and get them more involved in the process of creating a better 5G user experience. By empowering the young, we hope they can, in turn, become the forerunners of 5G adoption and help lead more people into the 5G era,” added realme Brand Director Johnny Chen.

In 2021, realme plans to set up more than ten 5G pop-up stores around the world allowing young people to create exclusive spaces where they can enjoy 5G experiences through cloud gaming, ultra-clear AR, live broadcasting and other popular 5G applications.

Counterpoint Research VP and Co-founder Peter Richardson agreed that the growth of 5G has been impressive and the rapid reduction in smartphone prices has been one of the main drivers.

“By the end of last year, we saw some highly competitive 5G products offered at affordable prices in China, with realme being the most aggressive with its V3 5G selling at around US$145. realme is helping to popularize the technology across many other countries with a series of compelling products with great specifications at surprisingly affordable prices,” Richardson noted.

Aside from increasing affordability and access, 5G technology is also improving at a very fast pace. “The upgrade to 5G chipsets pushes platform processing performance to remarkable levels, allowing us to maximize the step change improvements we are seeing in today’s smartphone components and hardware. Just as important, we are delivering 5G to all tiers, ensuring it is accessible to broad segments across developed and emerging markets alike.” said Qualcomm India & SAARC VP and President Rajen Vagadia.

To support the global adoption of 5G products, realme will establish seven R&D centers around the world in 2021, dedicated to exploring innovative 5G technologies and products. At present, 90% of realme’s R&D resources have been converted to 5G technology and products. In the next two years, realme will invest US$300 million globally in 5G technology research and product development, as well as in promoting global 5G popularization.