Telecom
Smartphone Volumes Will Return to Growth in 2019 and Beyond- IDC
The worldwide smartphone market is expected to contract again in 2018 before returning to growth in 2019 and beyond, after declining 0.3% in 2017
According to the International Data Corporation (IDC) Worldwide Quarterly Mobile Phone Tracker, smartphone shipments are forecast to drop 0.2% in 2018 to 1.462 billion units, which is down from 1.465 billion in 2017 and 1.469 billion in 2016.
Looking further out, IDC expects the market is to grow roughly 3% annually from 2019 onwards with worldwide shipment volume reaching 1.654 billion in 2022 and a five year compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 2.5%.
The biggest driver of the 2017 downturn was China, which saw its smartphone market decline 4.9% year over year.
Tough times are expected to continue in 2018 as IDC forecasts consumption in China to decline another 7.1% before flattening out in 2019.
The biggest upside in Asia/Pacific continues to be India with volumes expected to grow 14% and 16% in 2018 and 2019.
Chinese OEMs will continue their strategy of selling large volumes of low-end devices by shifting their focus from China to India.
So far most have been able to get around the recently introduced India import tariffs by doing final device assembly at local India manufacturing plants.
As for components, almost everything is still being sourced from China.
Ryan Reith, program vice president with IDC’s Worldwide Quarterly Mobile Device Trackers. said “With 2017 now behind us a lot of interesting market dynamics are unfolding,”
“Even though it declined 5% in 2017, China remains the focal point for many given that it consumes roughly 30% of the world’s smartphones.
“But plenty of pockets of growth can be found beyond China. India is now grabbing headlines and the market itself is going through some rapid transformation.
“Local India manufacturing continues to ramp up, despite still having a heavy dependence on China for components.
“The boom in India is likely to continue in the years to come, but the move toward building up local production has certainly caught the eye of many in the industry.”
Outside of Asia/Pacific, the biggest regions for growth will be the Middle East, Africa, and Latin America.
All three regions have relatively low penetration rates and plenty of upsides.
Economic challenges have been the main inhibitor over the past two years, but IDC expects consumer spending to rise throughout the forecast and smartphones to be a big benefactor.
The other catalyst to watch will be the introduction of 5G smartphones.
IDC predicts the first commercially ready 5G smartphones will appear in the second half of 2019 with a ramp up across most regions happening in 2020.
IDC projects 5G smartphone volumes to account for roughly 7% of all smartphones in 2020 or 212 million in total.
The share of 5G devices should grow to 18% of total volumes by 2022.
Anthony Scarsella, research manager with IDC’s Worldwide Quarterly Mobile Phone Tracker, said “Although overall smartphone shipments will decline slightly in 2018, the average selling price (ASP) of a smartphone will reach $345, up 10.3% from the $313 ASP in 2017.
“This year will continue to focus on the ultra-high-end segment of the market as we expect a surge of premium flagship devices to launch in developed markets in 2018.
“Devices featuring large AMOLED bezel-less displays, advanced camera functions, and an overall increase in speed and performance will be the driving factor in the increase of ASPs.
“Moving forward, we can expect this trend to continue as the ASP for a smartphone will continue to grow throughout the forecast period.
“In 2022, the final year of our forecast period, the average selling price for a smartphone will be $362, resulting in a 5-year CAGR of 2.9%.”
Platform Highlights show that Android’s share of total smartphones is expected to remain relatively stable at 85% of total shipments worldwide.
Volumes are expected to grow at a five-year CAGR of 2.5%, with shipments totaling 1.41 billion by 2022.
There is no question that Android is the OS of choice for the mass market and nothing leads us to believe this will change.
Given the large number of Chinese OEMs dependent on Google’s OS, as well as components from other U.S. companies like Qualcomm, it will be interesting to see how things develop with all the discussion about a US-China trade war.
Android OEMs continue to drive down the coast of new technology features at a rapid pace.
IDC estimates that 98% of Android phones will ship with screens larger than 5 inches by 2022, with 36% being 6 inches or larger.
While some of this will remain premium flagship models, the aggregate ASP of Android phones with a 6-inch screen or greater by 2022 is projected to be $414.
iOS: iPhone volumes are expected to grow 2.6% in 2018 to 221 million in total.
IDC is forecasting iPhones to grow at a five-year CAGR of 2.4%, reaching volumes of 242 million by 2022.
With rumors of some upcoming larger screen iOS smartphones, IDC has changed its screen size forecast for Apple by introducing volumes greater than 6 inches.
Products are likely to begin shipping in the fourth quarter of 2018, with volumes ramping up and accounting for 36% of all iPhones shipped by 2022.
Millions of citizens across Africa are being denied access to essential services due to the rapid imposition of biometric digital-ID systems, a new report by the African Digital Rights Network has revealed.
Biometric
The study, published by the Institute of Development Studies (IDS), found that citizens are increasingly required to provide biometric and personal information as a condition for accessing fundamental rights and government services such as voting, education, healthcare, and social protection payments.
According to the report, marginalised groups including persons with disabilities, the illiterate, and those unable to afford mobile data or electricity for phone charging face significant barriers to registration, deepening existing inequalities.
It noted that many citizens also refuse to enrol due to fears of data breaches and mistrust of governments, with biometric identifiers such as fingerprints, iris scans, and facial recognition raising privacy concerns.
Dr Tony Roberts, Research Fellow at IDS and co-editor of the report, said: “Worryingly, fundamental human rights, like education, healthcare and the right to vote are rapidly becoming conditional on enrolment in biometric digital-ID systems.”
He added that some visually impaired citizens are forced to pay others to help them use their digital-ID on mobile phones to access social protection payments.
‘Gbenga Sesan, Executive Director of Paradigm Initiative and co-editor of the report, said: “Many citizens do not want to enrol for a biometric digital-ID because they have good reason not to trust their governments with their biometrics and personal information.”
The report highlighted examples of massive data breaches and cases where personal data was used to surveil critics and opposition leaders.
It warned that most systems, estimated to cost at least US$1 billion across Africa, lack adequate legal frameworks, robust digital security, and accountability mechanisms for remedy when errors or breaches occur.
The authors concluded that governments must adopt strong legislation to protect citizens’ rights and privacy before rolling out biometric IDs, stressing that systems should be developed with citizen participation rather than imposed top-down.
The report, Biometric Digital-ID in Africa: Progress and Challenges to Date – Ten Country Case Studies, covers Botswana, Namibia, Malawi, Côte d’Ivoire, Senegal, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Liberia, Ethiopia, Egypt, and Tunisia.
Senator Natasha Akpoti has emerged as the most searched personality in Nigeria, according to Google’s 2025 Year in Search report, which highlights the interests and concerns that shaped the nation’s online activity during the year.
The report showed that political conversations dominated searches, with Akpoti’s prominence underscoring the intensity of national discourse. Nigerians also followed global developments closely, including the Israel-Iran War and the United States elections.
The country mourned the passing of former whose deaths prompted widespread searches recalling their legacies and contributions to national life.
Entertainment trends reflected Nigeria’s cultural vibrancy, with gospel hit “Oluwatosin (Jesus Is Enough)” by Tkeyz featuring Steve Hills topping charts, alongside Afrobeats collaborations such as Davido and Omah Lay’s “With You.” Director Kemi Adetiba and the local series “To Kill a Monkey” also drew significant attention.
Google noted that Nigerians displayed curiosity in language and lifestyle, decoding slang like “Labubu” and exploring recipes ranging from Pornstar Martini to traditional Chinchin.
Technology searches were led by interest in the iPhone 17 and Tecno Pop 10, reflecting the country’s embrace of new devices.
“This data offers a real-time window into the Nigerian psyche in 2025, showing a nation engaged, reflective, and creatively vibrant,” said Taiwo Kola-Ogunlade, Google’s Communications Manager for West Africa.
14-year-old Oreoluwa Alayande has been crowned the winner of the MTN mPulse Spelling Bee 2025, following a thrilling grand finale that saw the top 20 contestants from schools across the country compete head-to-head.
MTN mPulse 2025 Spelling Bee
The grand finale of the MTN mPulse Spelling Bee 2025 competition was held on Saturday, November 29, at the MTN Plaza Rooftop. The event also had in attendance the Senior Special Assistant to the Lagos State Governor on Basic and Secondary Education, Opeyemi Eniola and mPulse Spelling Bee 2024 winner, Ikenna Ikechukwu.
As the 2025 MTN mPulse Champion, Oreoluwa was awarded an Educational Grant of N5 Million Naira, the opportunity to be the MTN CEO for a Day, a brand new laptop and smartphone, and the title of the face of mPulse for a year. Her victory also benefits her school, which will receive a N10 Million flagship gift, 10 laptops, and 10 MTN 5G routers, while her teacher receives a N500,000 cash prize.
Oreoluwa, a student of St. Lawrence Metropolitan College, Ado Ekiti, Ekiti State, expressed her gratitude. “I’d like to use this opportunity to thank MTN for providing a platform that empowers youths and increases the vocabulary of students,” she said. “I’d also like to thank my family, everyone who has supported me so far, and my school,” she said.
Speaking at the grand finale, Babatunde Oyeleye, Chief Strategy and Innovation Officer, MTN Nigeria, acknowledged the parents and teachers. “Every year, we bring you all together to see who becomes the exceptional speller in Nigeria, and the participants always perform exceptionally,” Oyeleye stated. “I’d like to say a big thank you to the parents and the teachers. You dedicate your time to nurturing these children, and the feeling of pride is always evident on your faces. We are glad to be enablers of that smile and pride you feel,” Oyeleye said.
The second position, Samuel Babalola, was rewarded with a N2.5 Million Educational Grant, 1 laptop, and 1 smartphone, with his teacher receiving an N300,000 cash prize. Levi Kelechi Ebisike, in third place, won a N1.5 Million Educational Grant, 1 laptop, and 1 smartphone, along with an N200,000 cash prize for his teacher.
The grand finale was streamed live on the MTN Nigeria YouTube channel and on the Holiday Channel 198 on both DStv and GOtv, allowing Nigerians nationwide to watch the brilliant spellers.
The MTN mPulse Spelling Bee continues to be one of Nigeria’s most impactful development initiatives, reiterating MTN’s commitment to promoting literacy and digital inclusivity. The competition, a flagship initiative under the MTN mPulse umbrella, is designed to foster digital literacy, academic excellence, and healthy competition among Nigerian students.
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