Worldwide smartphone shipments tick up, driven mostly by emerging markets, 5G

Global smartphone shipments are expected to increase by 7.4% this year, according to new IDC data. The global pandemic suppressed last year’s numbers, but the IDC confirmed that 2021’s estimates are unruffled an improvement over 2019 shipments. 

The IDC says Apple’s iOS devices are a bigger section of that growth (13.8%) than Android devices (62%). Emerging markets from Africa to Asia are the considerable markets driving the increase in shipments, offsetting negative shipment numbers in the US, Western Europe and China. 

5G devices
are the anunexperienced major boon to smartphone shipments, as 5G shipment volume is projected to increase 123% — more than doubling 2020 numbers. The IDC also predicts that 5G devices will make up 54% of smartphone shipments by the end of next year. 

However, despite the rise in 5G devices, global shipment growth is anticipated to slow down after this year. The IDC projects shipments to grow just 3.4% in each of the next two years.