Over the past year, 5G has taken over news headlines, international relations, large technology companies, expert panels, social media, and more. 5G, or the fifth generation of digital cellular networks, brings promises of faster Internet speed, higher bandwidth, and increased coverage – all of which capture the attention of governments, businesses, and individuals alike. We wanted to get a bird’s-eye view of attitudes, opinions, and consumer trends about 5G on a global scale. Using market research software, we captured and analyzed data from online conversations around the world. Here’s what we found.
Market Research Software Identifies Unexpected Spikes of Engagement
We wanted to understand what gets people talking – and why. Our market research software uses statistical analysis to find spikes in engagement with 5G-related content over the past year. The platform does not highlight increases in engagement volume, but only the points where interaction volumes soar past the normal statistical range for your brand.
Let’s look at the most significant spike, which took place in February 2019.
We clicked into the contextual report behind this spike to understand its causes and effects. During the week of February 18th, 2019, interactions with 5G-related content jumped 341%.
People in India, the U.S., China, the U.K., Germany, and France talked about 5G the most during this period.
Why might this have happened? Let’s take a look together.
Market Research Software Reveals Effectiveness of Huawei and Samsung in 5G Market
The top hashtags during the peak give us some ideas.
Hashtags #mwc19 and #mwc2019 refer to Mobile World Congress, the world’s largest trade show for the mobile communications industry. Undoubtedly, 5G was a popular topic at the event, which took place at the end of February 2019.
At MWC 2019, Huawei launched the Mate X, its first foldable 5G smartphone, to the excitement of many.
Just how well was Huawei’s new launch received? Quite well, given that Huawei was the top word used in online conversations about 5G.
However, Samsung doesn’t trail far behind. During this period, Samsung released the Galaxy S10, which boasts 5G connectivity (in markets where 5G networks are available).
When sorted by interactions, we see that Samsung’s announcement actually generated the most interactions during the peak. The YouTube video received 16 million views, 325k likes, 10k dislikes, and 31k comments.
The two tech giants succeeded in different ways, which hint at their unique strategies. Although Huawei was the most popular word during this time, Samsung’s release made the biggest splash with audiences. Huawei succeeded in driving organic conversations about themselves, while Samsung succeeded in generating high engagement rates from just one release video.
A Global Look at 5G Conversations
5G is a topic of global interest. Journalists, researchers, legislators, and individuals create and engage with 5G-related content regularly. Those in China, the U.S., South Korea, the U.K., Germany, and India are particularly invested.
Around the world, Twitter, forums, general news outlets, and YouTube are the top platforms where users go to share and learn about 5G.
Market Research Software Analyzes General Feelings Towards 5G
Market research software uses machine learning to analyze billions of conversations and understand the feelings behind them. Although most (74%) of the content is neutral, we found more than twice as much positive sentiment (17%) than negative sentiment (8%). So, although 5G can be a topic of concern, there are also strong feelings of anticipation and excitement over its promises.
Gain Industry-wide Insights on Micro and Macro Scales
The onset of great innovation brings anticipation, curiosity, and concern from a world that depends on technology. In particular, 5G involves governments, companies, researchers, and individuals alike. And furthering its development and implementation begins with understanding how people think and talk about it. Market research software equips teams with the tools needed to do that. To see another example of market research in action, explore our newest study on the topic here.
