Telecom
Smartphone Shipments Expected to Return to Growth in 2019- According to IDC
The worldwide smartphone shipment is expected to decline by 3% in 2018 before returning to low single-digit growth in 2019 and through 2022; this is according to the International Data Corporation (IDC) Worldwide Quarterly Mobile Phone Tracker,
While the on-going U.S.-China trade war has the industry on edge, IDC still believes that continued developments from emerging markets, mixed with potential around 5G and new product form factors, will bring the smartphone market back to positive growth.
Smartphone shipments are expected to drop to 1.42 billion units in 2018, down from 1.47 billion in 2017.
However, IDC expects year-over-year shipment growth of 2.6% in 2019. Over the long-term, smartphone shipments are forecast to reach 1.57 billion units in 2022.
From a geographic perspective, the China market, which represented 30% of total smartphone shipments in 2017, is finally showing signs of recovery.
While the world’s largest market is still forecast to be down 8.8% in 2018 (worse than the 2017 downturn), IDC anticipates a flat 2019, then back to positive territory through 2022.
The U.S. is also forecast to return to positive growth in 2019 (up 2.1% year over year) after experiencing a decline in 2018.
The slow revival of China was one of the reasons for low growth in Q3 2018 and this slowdown will persist into Q1 2019 as the market is expected to drop by 3% in Q4 2018.
Furthermore, the recently lifted U.S. ban on ZTE had an impact on shipments in Q3 2018 and created a sizable gap that is yet to be filled heading into 2019.
Sangeetika Srivastava, senior research analyst with IDC’s Worldwide Mobile Device Trackers said,”With many of the large global companies focusing on high-end product launches, hoping to draw in consumers looking to upgrade based on specifications and premium devices, we can expect head-to-head competition within this segment during the holiday quarter and into 2019 to be exceptionally high.”
Though 2018 has fallen below expectations so far, the worldwide smartphone market is set to pick up on the shift toward larger screens and ultra-high-end devices.
All the big players have further built out their portfolios with bigger screens and higher-end smartphones, including Apple’s new launch in September.
In Q3 2018, the 6-inch to less than 7-inch screen size band became the most prominent band for the first time with more than four times year-over-year growth.
IDC believes that larger-screen smartphones (5.5 inches and above) will lead the charge with volumes of 947.1 million in 2018, accounting for 66.7% of all smartphones, up from 623.3 million units and 42.5% share in 2017.
By 2022, shipments of these larger-screen smartphones will move up to 1.38 billion units or 87.7% of overall shipment volume.
Melissa Chau, associate research director with IDC’s Worldwide Mobile Device Trackers, said “What we consider a so-called normal size smartphone has shifted dramatically in a few short years and while we are stretching the limits with bezel-less devices, the next big switch to flexible screens will test our imaginations even further.
“While this category of device is still nascent and won’t see major adoption in the year ahead, it’s exciting to see changes to the standard monoblock we are all so used to carrying.”
Platform highlights shows that Android’s smartphone share will remain stable at 85% throughout the forecast.
Volumes are expected to grow at a five-year compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 1.7% with shipments approaching 1.36 billion in 2022.
Android is still the choice of the masses with no shift expected. Android average selling prices (ASPs) are estimated to grow by 9.6% in 2018 to US$258, up from US$235 in 2017.
IDC expects this upward trajectory to continue through the forecast, but at a softened rate from 2019 and beyond.
Not only are market players pushing upgraded specs and materials to offset decreasing replacement rates, but they are also serving the evolving consumer needs for better performance.
iOS smartphones are forecast to drop by 2.5% in 2018 to 210.4 million. The launch of expensive and bigger screen iOS smartphones in Q3 2018 helped Apple to raise its ASP, simultaneously making it somewhat difficult to increase shipments in the current market slump.
IDC is forecasting iPhone shipments to grow at a five-year CAGR of 0.1%, reaching volumes of 217.3 million in 2022. Despite the challenges, there is no ambiguity that Apple will continue to lead the global premium market segment.
Starbase Technologies has launched Yolly, a new social entertainment platform designed to reward users for watching, streaming and creating content while promoting wholesome digital engagement.
Starbase Technologies
The company said the platform was developed to redefine participation in the digital economy by enabling viewers, creators and brands to earn value from meaningful online interactions.
According to Starbase Technologies, Yolly introduces a reward system powered by Stars, its native digital rewards currency, which users accumulate through activities such as watching videos, live streaming and creating content.
The company said the initiative was built on the belief that everyone contributing to the digital ecosystem should have the opportunity to benefit from the value they help generate.
Unlike conventional social media platforms where monetisation is often restricted to creators with large followings, Yolly allows creators to begin earning from their first stream without meeting follower thresholds.
The platform also provides emerging creators with features including gifting, Boosts and a Founder Creator badge to help them grow their communities from the outset.
Viewers are also eligible to earn Stars through the platform’s Watch+ feature, which rewards users for watching content from their first session.
For brands, the company said Yolly offers an alternative to traditional impression-based advertising by providing verified engagement metrics, real-time performance dashboards and brand safety controls to improve campaign measurement and audience interaction.
Speaking on the launch, the Head of Business at Yolly, Emeka Okenwa, said the platform was designed to create a more inclusive and rewarding creator economy.
He said the rewards ecosystem prioritises wholesome content and genuine community engagement rather than content driven solely by algorithms or viral trends.
“The platform has been developed on the premise that the future of the creator economy should be more inclusive, more rewarding and built around genuine communities rather than algorithms alone,” Okenwa said.
He added that Yolly was created to encourage family-friendly content while providing viewers, creators and brands with a trusted environment to connect, create and grow.
According to the company, the platform features content across entertainment, sports, lifestyle, education, technology and live events.
Starbase Technologies said the launch forms part of its broader vision of connecting creators and innovators through technology solutions that expand opportunities within the global digital economy.
Mcebisi Jonas, Chairman of MTN Group, has called on African leaders and businesses to deepen regional cooperation, warning that no country on the continent can achieve lasting prosperity in isolation.
Mcebisi Jonas, Chairman of MTN Group
Jonas made the call during the MTN Y’ello Chair event held on Aug. 2, where he urged Africa’s largest economies to work together to unlock the continent’s economic potential.
He said the fortunes of businesses operating across Africa were closely linked to the continent’s overall economic performance.
“Our fortunes as MTN are intertwined with the fortunes of the continent. If the continent goes down, we go down. If the continent is lifted up, we also are lifted up,” he said.
According to him, corporate success cannot be sustained where regional economies remain weak or fragmented.
Jonas cautioned major African economies, particularly Nigeria and South Africa, against adopting inward-looking economic policies, stressing that their long-term prosperity depends on stronger collaboration with neighbouring countries.
“If the continent is to be propelled beyond where it is, trade between South Africa and Nigeria must improve.
“If the big economies of the continent are not working together, are not aligned in terms of agenda and are not trading with each other, then you have a problem,” he said.
He advocated the creation of a pragmatic coalition of Africa’s leading economies, comparable to the Group of Seven (G7), to coordinate economic priorities, strengthen regional integration and accelerate development across the continent.
Jonas also called for increased investment in cross-border infrastructure, including energy, transport, logistics and financial systems, to facilitate trade and improve economic resilience.
According to him, Africa’s long-term growth will depend on its ability to function as a cohesive and interconnected economic bloc.
Recent trade figures indicate growing commercial activity within the continent.
According to the African Trade Report 2025 published by the African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank), intra-African trade increased by 12.4 per cent to 220.3 billion dollars in 2024.
The report showed that South Africa remained the continent’s largest intra-African trading nation with 42.14 billion dollars in trade, while Nigeria’s intra-African trade rose significantly to 18.43 billion dollars, from 8.1 billion dollars recorded in the previous year.
Despite the progress, Jonas noted that regulatory bottlenecks, infrastructure deficits and other cross-border barriers continued to limit the full potential of trade among African countries.
He urged governments to pursue policies that encourage greater regional integration, describing continental cooperation as essential for sustainable economic development.
Court filings in multiple legal disputes arising from the 2023 acquisition of Pan African Towers have raised questions about corporate governance, board oversight and executive independence, with the company’s Board Chairman, Adefolarin Ogunsanya, featuring prominently in the proceedings.
The disputes, currently before Nigerian courts, stem from the acquisition of Pan African Towers by Development Partners International (DPI), Verod Capital Growth Fund III LP and African Development Partners International LLP.
According to documents filed before the Federal High Court, former Chief Executive Officer of Pan African Towers, Azeez Amida, played a central role in identifying and engaging prospective investors after the company’s shareholders decided to sell the business.
The filings stated that negotiations led by Amida culminated in the acquisition, which was later recognised as the African Deal of the Year.
However, less than three years after the transaction, the acquisition has become the subject of three separate court cases challenging aspects of its governance and implementation.
According to the court filings, a proposed Management Incentive Plan (MIP) formed part of the negotiations leading to the acquisition.
Amida alleged that he informed prospective investors that management would retain a minimum five per cent equity stake following the acquisition, an arrangement he said distinguished the successful consortium from competing bidders.
The pleadings further alleged that the consortium accepted the proposal through the MIP and related term sheets.
Among the exhibits before the court is an email attributed to Ogunsanya forwarding a document titled “PAT – MIP analysis.xlsx,” described as an analysis of the proposed incentive scheme.
According to the claimant, the proposed equity participation could have generated returns exceeding 30 million U.S. dollars, but the arrangement was allegedly not implemented after the acquisition.
He is consequently seeking damages exceeding 30 million dollars in a separate action before the Federal High Court.
The filings further alleged that governance dynamics changed significantly after the acquisition, with shareholder representatives and board members becoming increasingly involved in operational matters ordinarily handled by executive management.
The defence claimed that disagreements arose over procurement processes and commercial negotiations, including sourcing decisions involving companies in which some directors allegedly had interests.
The filings identify Ogunsanya as one of the directors involved in those discussions.
The allegations remain disputed and are yet to be determined by the court.
Another issue raised in the defence concerns the company’s financial approval procedures.
According to the filings, following the appointment of a new Chief Financial Officer (CFO), Amida deliberately withdrew from final expenditure approvals because of governance concerns.
The defence maintained that expenditures subsequently challenged in the litigation were processed through the company’s established approval procedures, involving reviews by relevant departments and final authorisation by the CFO.
It also argued that the CFO responsible for the approvals remains employed by the company and has since been promoted.
The defence further contended that the disputed hospitality, investor engagement and related business expenses passed through internal approval processes and were reflected in the company’s audited financial statements before becoming the subject of litigation.
Internal emails, approval workflows, WhatsApp communications and financial records have been listed among the evidence expected to be presented during the trial.
The court filings also noted that Ogunsanya participated in negotiations surrounding the Management Incentive Plan, signed an October 2024 query issued to Amida before a Mutual Separation Agreement and later declined a request for an amicable settlement in a separate matter before the National Industrial Court.
Amida further alleged that a subsequent Federal High Court action instituted by Pan African Towers was retaliatory and intended to exert pressure in connection with his earlier legal action against DPI, Verod and other parties involved in the acquisition.
The allegations remain contested, and the parties are expected to present their respective cases before the courts.
As of the time covered by the filings, the defendants had not filed substantive defences to some of the claims referenced by the claimant.
The matters remain pending before the courts, and no judicial determination has yet been made on the merits of the allegations.
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