IDC forecasts smartphone shipment growth in 2019 and through 2022

A report from the market intelligence firm IDC has offered forecast projections of how global smartphone shipments are looking and what the future could hold. The company has stated a 3% decline for 2018, which is partially due to US-China trade issues and a decline in the Chinese market itself. Growth is expected to return in 2019 and through 2022, with IDC estimating a five-year compound annual growth rate of 1.7% (2017-2022).

The outlook for smartphones that don’t run on Android or iOS is not looking bright, though. IDC expects Android to have 86.2% market share by 2022 (up from 85.1% in 2018) while iOS will command 13.8%. This leaves 0.0% for other platforms, although IDC inputs a minimal 2022 shipment volume of 0.1 million for “Others” in its table (see below).

The onset of 5G communications, new form factors (e.g. foldable phones), and handsets with larger screen-to-body ratios are encouraging growth, according to the report. Consumers are expected to spend slightly more on average for Android phones, increasing from US$235 in 2017 to US$258 in 2019. Despite all of Apple’s recent issues in regard to stock price and hardware sales, IDC has forecast that the Cupertino-based company will still be the worldwide leader in the premium market sector.

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