Don’t be alarmed by that question. It may seem far fetched. It may seem ridiculous. But I read an article that has surprising statistics. Is the smartphone era over?
The smartphone era began in 2007. That year, Apple released the iPhone. That iPhone started a revolution. With more apps, sizes, and cooler functions, the demand for better smartphones increased. So did the supply. When the 2010s decade began, less than 100 million smartphones were shipped. By 2016, shipments are several times that high. So what’s the problem? Data suggests smartphone growth will be less than 2% in 2016. In 2015, that number was 10.4%. In hot markets, like the US, Canada, Japan and Western Europe, that number is expected to fall further. In ‘rising’ markets, like China, India, Russia and Brazil, numbers remain modest. But even there, there’s little sign of massive growth. It’s not that people are tired of their smartphones. Quite the opposite. People are so satisfied with their existing phones they don’t want to get new ones. That’s what hindering growth.
This means smartphone companies must work harder to entice consumers to upgrade. Smartwatches used to do the trick. But less smartwatches are dependent on smartphones. However, the VR movement could be what the smartphone needs. Virtual reality headsets depend on smartphones to even function. But is the smartphone era over? No, it’s not. That’s like calling the TV era over in the 1970s, when by this point, everyone had color television. By the decade’s end, cable TV and home video games emerged. Suddenly, everyone wanted a TV in their room, especially kids. That’s what kept TV sales going. So VR, watches, better apps, and other things will keep smartphone sales going. The smartphone isn’t going away anytime soon. They’re just coming up with ways to make it better. The iPhone’s 10th anniversary is soon. What will Apple come up with to mark the occasion?