Market Trends of Smartphones Industry
Android Operating System is Expected to Grow Significantly
- According to a StatCounter report released on January 2022, Android remained the world's most popular mobile operating system, with a market share of close to 70%, while iOS accounted for roughly 25% of the market.
- Furthermore, many application developers prefer Android OS to develop gaming/entertainment applications, social media applications, mobile utility applications, and lifestyle applications, as it requires the developers to know languages such as C++, Kotlin, and Java, among others. Moreover, Google also offers various development tools, such as Android Jetpack, Firebase, and AndroidSDK, to assist developers in building a user-intuitive interface.
- Additionally, the platform allows users to download applications free of cost. However, the applications are designed to offer in-app purchases and in-app course subscriptions that have generated more revenue in Google Play Stores than in Apple Stores. For instance, according to Airnow PLC, the revenue generated by coin master in April 2021 was approximately USD 61.02 million through Google Play Stores. This was followed by the GarenaFree Fire- World series and PUBG Mobile-Karakin, which generated a revenue of USD 38.56 million and 37.76 million in April 2021.
- The increasing demand for high-speed data connectivity for integrated IoT (Internet of Things) applications, such as energy management and smart home products, is anticipated to propel the adoption of 5G smartphones.
- In February 2022, OPPO unveiled its Find X5 Series with 5G support, which raises the bar for smartphone imaging and luxurious design. Find X5 Series brims with industry-leading features and offers a futuristic style that achieves clean, modern sophistication and significant imaging experiences. These include a dedicated image neural processing unit, which addresses the most challenging barrier of smartphone video capture of nighttime recording.
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Asia-Pacific is Expected to Hold a Significant Market Share
- The Asia-Pacific region is one of the significant markets for smartphones, primarily owing to the highly developing telecom sector and large customer base. Furthermore, the region is increasingly investing in the mobile network. Countries such as India, Japan, Australia, Singapore, and South Korea, are increasingly investing in developing the domestic telecom market, which is also expected to drive the market in the region.
- The demand for smartphones at the entry-level price points is expected to be driven by the increasing demand from the developing countries in the region, such as India and Indonesia, where smartphones are increasingly penetrating into the rural areas as local governments are pushing for digital and mobile economy. For instance, the Digital India program is a flagship program of the Government of India primarily aimed at transforming the country into a digitally empowered society.
- Moreover, India had also launched the PLI Scheme, which offered a 6-4% incentive for five years on incremental sales of manufactured handsets over 2019-2020. High-end multinational cell phone makers, or those producing handsets worth over USD 200, had to sell goods worth USD 4.9 million in the last financial year claim the incentives. Such initiatives by the government are expected to boost the smartphone market in the country.
- The key vendors in the smartphone market are focusing on improving their product offerings and introducing new products across this region. For instance, in September 2022, Apple announced the release of the iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max. It featured the Always-On display, the first-ever 48 MP camera on an iPhone, Crash Detection, Emergency SOS via satellite, and an innovative new way to receive notifications and activities with the Dynamic Island.
- The rise in the urban population, increased consumer awareness regarding mobile device usage, the surging integration of AR technology, and expanding over-the-top (OTT) platform subscriptions are expected to drive the market's expansion in the coming years.
- In mainland China, rising smartphone adoption and the availability of 4G have resulted in a surge in mobile internet usage that supports the country's movement up the digital-society value chain. More than 990 million people use mobile internet services, which is expected to increase by 200 million by 2025.
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