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. |