According to the latest research from Strategy Analytics (http://www.strategyanalytics.com), global LTE phone shipments will grow tenfold to reach 67 million units in 2012. It’s a breakout year for 4G technology, and companies leading the growth spurt will include Apple, Samsung, HTC and others, according to the research group.

“We forecast global LTE phone shipments to grow tenfold from 6.8 million units in 2011 to 67.0 million in 2012,” Neil Shah, analyst at Strategy Analytics, says. “Major countries driving LTE growth this year will include the United States, Japan and South Korea. Multiple operators, such as Verizon Wireless, NTT Docomo and SK Telecom, are aggressively expanding their LTE networks. Key vendors leading the push into LTE phones will include Apple, Samsung, HTC, LG, Nokia, Motorola, Pantech and Fujitsu.”

Neil Mawston, executive director at Strategy Analytics, adds: “The mobile industry is entering a breakout year for 4G LTE technology. Multiple operators and multiple phone vendors will be launching dozens of LTE models across numerous countries worldwide. LTE has quickly become a high-growth, high-value market that no operator, service developer, device vendor or component maker can afford to ignore.”