The gaming industry embodies the digital age, captivating the world with entertainment through electronic devices—and it’s fair to say the industry has played its cards right, continually staying up to date with the latest technology. 

At the start of 2019, the industry saw OEMs such as Apple attribute declines in revenue and smartphone sales to heating tensions with China, as well as to the broader economic slowdown. Samsung also forecasted a drop-in profits due to declining mobile sales in China and because of “intensified competition”. But it seems that the slowdown in global smartphone sales cannot be solely blamed on China – demand doesn’t seem to be strong in developed markets, either.

The industry is set to welcome the first 5G smartphones into the market this year with most manufacturers planning to launch the new models early in the year. AT&T has announced it will add a Samsung smartphone to its 5G device collection, with Verizon doing the same. We can also expect to see 5G-ready devices from the likes of LG and OnePlus early on in 2019.

Today, telecom operators aren’t just connectivity providers—the advent of quad play services means that along with internet access and wireless services, they’re also providing TV and mobile phone offerings.

The average consumer will keep a smartphone for nearly 3 years before upgrading to a new device. But that still means that you’re investing hundreds of (or even more than a thousand) dollars in new devices every few years. Even with lease programs and equipment installment plans, that’s a significant cost.