2018 would have been the worst year of the smartphone market. However, the drop in the number of units shipped is expected to continue in 2019. There is therefore a third consecutive year of decline.

This is predicted by an IDC firm study. According to this, the smartphone market will decline by 0.8% in 2019, and the volume is expected to be 1.39 billion units.

Year-on-year growth from the second half of the year?
But despite this third year of decline for the smartphone market, IDC remains optimistic. Because in the second half, this market could finally see signs of growth: there should be a new momentum with growth of 2.3% year-on-year.

And in 2023, the volume of smartphones shipped by manufacturers could even reach 1.54 billion.

"The biggest question that remains unanswered is what will bring the smartphone industry back to growth," said Ryan Reith, vice president of IDC Worldwide Mobile Device Trackers.

For him, we should not neglect the possibilities that we have with new technological innovations, including 5G. Moreover, IDC estimates that on 4 devices sold in 2023, 1 will be compatible with 5G networks.