IDC: 4G Smartphones To Surpass 1B Mark In Shipments For 2016
Worldwide smartphone shipments are expected to reach 1.45 billion units with a year-over-year growth rate of 0.6% in 2016 according to the latest forecast from the International Data Corporation Worldwide Quarterly Mobile Phone Tracker. Although growth remains positive, it is down significantly from the 10.4% growth in 2015. However, 4G smartphones are still expected to show double-digit uptake at 21.3% year-over-year growth globally for 2016, reaching 1.17 billion units, up from 967 million in 2015. Much of this growth is coming from emerging markets, where only 61% of 2015 smartphone shipments were 4G-enabled compared to IDC's 2016 projection of 77%. Mature markets are further along the 4G adoption curve with 85% in 2015 and a projected 94% in 2016, respectively.
IDC estimates shipments this year of smartphones running Alphabet's (GOOG) Android software, which now account for 85% of the market, will increase 5% over a year earlier. Phones employing software from Microsoft (MSFT) and others account for less than 1% of the market, it said. IDC also projects an 11% decrease in shipments of Apple's (AAPL) iPhone in 2016, saying "All signs point to 2016 being the first full year of declining shipments for Apple's iPhone. The iPhone 7 and 7 Plus have done well, but three quarters of year-over-year declines, as well as a projected fourth quarter decline by IDC, will account for negative growth. By no means is this doomsday for Apple in this category and 2017 marks the tenth year of iPhone, so it is hard to believe Apple doesn't have something big up its sleeve."
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