More China-based handset vendors including Tianyu Communication Equipment and Vivo will launch their first 4G models in the fourth quarter of 2013 as the China government is ready to release its 4G services licenses, according to industry sources.

　　First-tier China-based smartphone vendors Huawei, ZTE and Coolpad have already marketed their 4G models to markets outside China, while other brands such as Xiaomi Technology, Oppe Mobile and Meizu have also unveiled models supporting 4G technology, the sources noted.

　　The penetration rate of 4G models is expected to accelerate in the first half of 2014 when MediaTek is slated to release its reference design for 4G smartphones, said the sources, adding that 4G smartphones will become the mainstream in China in the next two years.

　　Tianyu's first TD-LTE 4G model is built based on Qualcomm reference design (QRD). The smartphone will come with a 5.5-inch IPS HD display and a 13-megapixel camera and is powered by a Qualcomm 1.4GHz dual-core Snapdragon 400 processor.