Skip to main content

It’s not about looks — inner beauty will drive mobile sales in 2018

Julian Chokkattu/Digital Trends
Julian Chokkattu/Digital Trends

Despite smartphone sales falling in 2017, market analysis firm the International Data Corporation (IDC) predicts that the mobile market will see growth in 2018.

Recommended Videos

With the debut of some of the most gorgeous looking phones we’ve ever seen, 2017 will go down in history as the year we saw the rise of bezel-less phones, and a new trend in the smartphones. Unfortunately, reports from the tail end of last year told a different story, with sales declining year-on-year for the first time since the inception of the smartphone, as millions chose to go without expensive upgrades to their existing phones.

But according to a report from the IDC, 2018 should see an end to that, with a predicted growth going back to single figures. According to the IDC’s analysis, changes and development in software and components will be the key to continued success in the mobile marketplace, with hardware aesthetics taking a back seat despite rapid and widespread design changes within the industry over the past year. What does that mean in real terms? It seems the IDC is pointing out that people aren’t just looking for a pretty phone, they’re looking for tangible technological advancements, and having marketable advancements in real technology is what’s going to sell phones in 2018.

“Improvements in speed, power, battery life, and general performance will be critical in driving growth at a worldwide level as the smartphone evolves into a true all-in-one tool. Although these types of improvements seem to arrive each year, delivering it more affordably will carry even greater significance to consumers”, said IDC research manager Anthony Scarsella.

Despite the drop in sales within certain markets, it seems that the areas for growth are much the same as they have been for the last few years, with first-time buyers in developing markets being the key areas pinpointed by the reports. The IDC does warn, however, that competition within all areas will continue to grow and adapt, and companies should be ready to consolidate if needed. Strong competition within the Chinese marketplace has already pushed longtime mobile manufacturer LG out of the country, and the IDC is predicting that trend will continue.

Another key area is 5G — the report estimates that support for 5G will grow over the next few years, and 5G smartphones will make up 19 percent of the market by 2019. The IDC has also pushed forward its timetable for phablet-dominance, and expects that 2018 will be the year that phablet sales overtake normal smartphone sales, compared to its previous report that this would occur in 2019.

The IDC also presented its timetable for the next five years, and expects that both Android and iOS will grow by at least 2 percent, while other operating systems will drop by a huge 21 percent, essentially dropping out of the market entirely.

Mark Jansen
Mobile Evergreen Editor
Mark Jansen is an avid follower of everything that beeps, bloops, or makes pretty lights. He has a degree in Ancient &…
iOS 18: Everything you need to know about the iPhone update
An iPhone 15 Pro Max running iOS 18, showing its home screen.

Apple showed off the next major iteration of iOS during its Worldwide Developer Conference (WWDC) in June. The next big update is iOS 18, and it’s packing quite a punch in terms of features.

It will eventually bring in Apple Intelligence, which is Apple’s suite of AI tools. Combined with new customization tools, a redesigned Photos app, and more, there’s a lot to dive into. Here’s everything you need to know about iOS 18.
iOS 18 release date

Read more
Does your Duolingo app icon look sick? You’re not alone
The Duolingo app icon, showing a sick-looking version of the Duolingo owl.

It's an absolute tragedy: The normally chipper Duolingo owl has fallen ill.

Just kidding. The app icon might have changed, but it doesn't mean any significant changes are coming to the app. It did stir up quite a bit of conversation on both X (formerly Twitter) and Reddit, though, as users around the world noticed that the Duo owl looked like he needed a heavy dose of DayQuil.

Read more
The App Store is about to become optional on some iPhones
A photo of an Apple screen and a close-up of the App Store icon with three notifications on it.

Apple continues to change iOS to fall in line with directives from the EU, and the latest would have been unthinkable in the past. Apple will make the App Store a deletable app on iPhones and iPads located in the EU. The same applies to a series of other apps that would usually be considered core iOS apps that could not be deleted.

“The App Store, Messages, Photos, Camera, and Safari apps will now be deletable for users in the EU,” Apple wrote in a news update published on its Developer website, confirming which apps will be an option in the near future. At the moment, the App Store and some other Apple preinstalled apps can be removed from the Home Screen in iOS, but are only relegated to the App Library, with no option to delete the apps completely.

Read more