Key Takeaways
- The smartphone market is expected to grow by 6.2% in 2024, driven by “pent-up demand” for phone upgrades.
- Apple’s iOS is predicted to surpass Android’s growth by 2025.
- AI has not yet deeply affected smartphone demand, but it could boost sales if a ‘must-have’ feature emerges.
Smartphone manufacturers will be smiling at this news. The International Data Corporation (IDC) has predicted that the global smartphone market will grow by 6.2 percent by 2024, with shipments reaching 1.24 billion units. The growth in smartphone shipments is primarily due to “pent-up demand for device upgrades.” After years of declining demand, this is a good sign for the smartphone market.
The news is even better for Apple, as iOS is expected to grow 3.1 percent year-over-year through 2025, outpacing Android’s predicted growth of 1.7 percent through 2025. However, in 2024, Apple’s iOS grew by only 0.4 percent compared to Android’s 6.2 percent growth in the same period, so the company is playing catch-up in a sense.
Apple is experiencing unprecedented growth in emerging markets such as India but is facing challenges in the US, China, and Europe, where competition and market saturation are very strong, hindering growth. But things are going well for the Cupertino-based company.
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AI hasn’t sold a ton of phones yet, but it could soon
Apple Intelligence can lead to more sales, if the ‘must have’ feature appears
In October, Apple finally launched Apple Intelligence after much anticipation. However, IDC says that AI features do not have a significant impact on market demand. Why? Lack of a “must have” feature.
“While we still believe that GenAI will transform the user experience in the coming years, more investment is needed to increase consumer awareness and introduce a ‘must have’ feature that will drive shoppers to the store and create that great cycle everyone is waiting for. because,” said Nabila Popal, senior director of research at IDC.
This is a fair analysis of IDC. While many of the new AI features on both iOS and Android are intuitive, no feature yet has made me feel like I need to buy a new phone to access. If Apple can find a “must have” AI feature, it could boost iPhone sales. Currently, most AI features in smartphones are limited to premium/flagship devices. IDC expects that AI features will be available in many low-cost phones by 2028, “potentially reaching 70% of the smartphone market.”
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