Smartphone Sales Will Fall Now, but 5G Promises a Lift, IDC Reports
Overall smartphone shipments will slip this year, but the average selling price will rise to $345 from $313 a year ago due to strength in the “ultra-high-end” segment, said IDC analyst Anthony Scarsella. By 2022, the ASP will be $362,…
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he said Wednesday. This year's 0.2 percent decline to 1.462 billion units, on lagging sales in China, will reverse next year, with 3 percent growth, the research firm reported. Smartphone sales dropped 4.9 percent in China last year and “tough times” are expected to continue in 2018 as IDC forecasts consumption in China to decline 7.1 percent before flattening in 2019. China has 30 percent of global smartphone sales, said analyst Ryan Reith. A growth catalyst will be the introduction of 5G smartphones, said IDC, predicting the first commercially ready 5G smartphones (see 1805300034) will arrive in second half 2019, ramping up to most regions in 2020. IDC projects sales of 5G smartphones will reach 212 million in 2020 -- at roughly 7 percent of all category sales -- growing to 18 percent by 2022. Android's share of the global smartphone is expected to remain relatively stable at 85 percent of shipments.