We will see a large rise in the number of 4G devices being shipped in 2012, but uptake outside the US has been slow. Find out more 4G and LTE: the future of mobile broadband According to analyst firm ABI, 61 million 4G smartphones and tablets will be sold this year, however it highlights that take up of the new technology has been slow outside of the USA. The research shows that in Western Europe consumers are aware of 4G and its advantages, but are either put off by the price of 4G handsets and tariffs, or don’t have access to a 4G network, as is the case in the UK. 297% year-on-year increase predicted Even though 4G is yet to be fully adopted in many parts of the world, ABI predict a 297% year-on-year increase in the number of 4G device sales in 2012, with a total of 87 million being shipped this year

Qualcomm, the company that builds the Snapdragon processors present within a vast array of smartphones, has warned it is struggling to keep up with demand for the chips. The American giant and world’s leading mobile chip manufacturer, says it underestimated demand and now its third-party factories can’t create enough to last until the end of 2012. The Smartdragon S4 chip in question provides the power for many Android and Windows Phone manufacturers, so supplies might be hit as the year draws towards a close