Global smartphone sales will for the first time exhibit single- |
Worldwide combined shipments for devices ( PCs , tablets , |
digit growth in 2016 . Global smartphone sales are estimated to |
ultramobiles and mobile phones ) are expected to reach 2.4 |
reach 1.5 billion units in 2016 , a 7 percent growth from 2015 . |
billion units in 2016 , a 0.6 percent increase from 2015 ( see |
The total mobile phone market is forecast to reach 1.9 billion |
Table 1 ). End-user spending in constant U . S . dollars is |
units in 2016 . |
estimated to decline by 1.6 percent year over year . |
The double-digit growth era for the global smartphone market |
As carriers ' deals become more complex , users are likely to |
has come to an end . Historically , worsening economic |
hold onto phones , especially as the technology updates |
conditions had negligible impact on smartphone sales and |
become incremental rather than exponential . In addition , the |
spend , but this is no longer the case . China and North America |
volumes of users upgrading from basic phones to premium |
smartphone sales are on pace to be flat in 2016 , exhibiting a |
phones will slow , with more basic phones being replaced with |
0.7 percent and 0.4 percent growth respectively . |
the same type of phone . |
Emerging Markets Continue to Grow , but at a Slower Rate |
PC Shipments to Bottom Out in 2016 |
While smartphone sales will continue to grow in emerging |
The global PC shipment market is expected to total 284 million |
markets , the growth will slow down . Through 2019 , 150 million |
units in 2016 , a decline of 1.5 percent year over year . |
users will delay upgrades to smartphones in emerging |
Traditional PCs are on pace to decline 6.7 percent in 2016 . In |
Asia / Pacific , until the functionality and price combination of a |
2016 , the PC market will reach its last year of decline before |
low-cost smartphone becomes more desirable . |
returning to growth in 2017 . The biggest challenge , and |
Prices did not decline enough to drive upgrades from low-end |
potential benefit for the PC market , is the integration of |
feature phones to low-end smartphones . Vendors were not |
Windows 10 with Intel ' s Skylake architecture . It has the |
able to reduce the price of a ' good enough to use ' smartphone |
potential for new form factors with more attractive features . |
lower than $ 50 . |
In addition , the frustration with the capabilities in tablets will |
Countries such as India will help generate new mobile phone |
drive some consumers and businesses to review new form |
user growth . Sales of smartphones in India are on pace to |
factors . However , to draw their interest the PC manufacturers |
reach 29 percent in 2016 and will continue to exhibit double- |
need to ensure that they meet demand with the right products |
digit growth in the next two years . |
at the right price . |
Mature Markets to Increase Mobile Phone Lifetimes |
Demand for ultramobiles ( basic and utility tablets ) will |
In the mature markets of North America , Western Europe , |
continue to weaken , with a decline of 3.4 percent in 2016 . |
Japan and mature Asia / Pacific , Gartner analysts expect to see |
Users are not only extending lifetimes , but also some will fail to |
an extension of phone lifetimes among users . |
replace these devices at all through 2016 . Courtesy Gartner . |