Smartphone Market Continues to Decline

According to a new forecast from market research firm IDC, the already sluggish forecast for smartphones looks to be headed toward a slightly steeper decline this year.

Global smartphone shipments will decline 3.2% in 2023, the firm said — almost triple the decline that had been forecast for the market in February (1.1% decline). Overall unit shipments are expected to hit 1.17 billion for the year.

IDC said causes include weak consumer demand, inflation, and a weaker economic outlook.

"Our conversations with channels, supply chain partners, and major OEMs all point to recovery being pushed further out and a weaker second half of the year," said Nabila Popal research director with IDC's Mobility and Consumer Device Trackers, in a prepared statement. "Consumer demand is recovering much slower than expected in all regions, including China. If 2022 was a year of excess inventory, 2023 is a year of caution. While everyone wants to have inventory ready to ride the wave of the inevitable recovery, no one wants to be stuck holding it too long. This also means the brands that take the risk — at the right time — can potentially reap great rewards of share gain."

IDC said it still expects the smartphone market to see a recovery in 2024, with 6% year-over-year growth anticipated.

For more information, visit IDC's Worldwide Quarterly Mobile Phone Tracker.

About the Author

David Nagel is the former editorial director of 1105 Media's Education Group and editor-in-chief of THE Journal, STEAM Universe, and Spaces4Learning. A 30-year publishing veteran, Nagel has led or contributed to dozens of technology, art, marketing, media, and business publications.

He can be reached at [email protected]. You can also connect with him on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidrnagel/ .


Featured

  •  floating digital interface with glowing icons, surrounded by faint geometric shapes

    Digital Education Council Defines 5 Dimensions of AI Literacy

    A recent report from the Digital Education Council, a global community devoted to "revolutionizing the world of education and work through technology and collaboration," provides an AI literacy framework to help higher education institutions equip their constituents with foundational AI competencies.

  • From Fire TV to Signage Stick: University of Utah's Digital Signage Evolution

    Jake Sorensen, who oversees sponsorship and advertising and Student Media in Auxiliary Business Development at the University of Utah, has navigated the digital signage landscape for nearly 15 years. He was managing hundreds of devices on campus that were incompatible with digital signage requirements and needed a solution that was reliable and lowered labor costs. The Amazon Signage Stick, specifically engineered for digital signage applications, gave him the stability and design functionality the University of Utah needed, along with the assurance of long-term support.

  • lock with a glowing keyhole integrated with a transparent, layered server stack against a dark background with a subtle grid pattern

    Cohesity Integration Adds Protection for Red Hat OpenShift Virtualization Workloads

    AI-powered data security company Cohesity has expanded its collaboration with Red Hat to enhance data protection and cyber resilience for Red Hat OpenShift Virtualization workloads.

  • computer screen displaying a landline phone being unplugged from a single cord, with a modern office desk, keyboard, and subtle lighting in the background

    Microsoft to Discontinue Skype Services

    Microsoft has announced that it is shutting down service for its Skype telecommunications and video calling services on May 5, 2025.