Smartphone growth in China will be slower than the global averag e this year, analyst firm IDC predicted this week when it reduced its growth forecast for the market.
Smartphone shipments will grow by 11.3% in 2015 to reach 1.45 billion units, according to IDC’s latest forecast. That is significantly slower than the 27.6% growth rate the market experienced last year and slightly below the analyst firm’s previous 11.8% prediction for the current year.
The overall market will be impacted by a slowdown in China, where smartphone shipments are expected to grow by just 2.5% this year; 2015 will mark the first time smartphone growth in China will be slower than the worldwide market, IDC said.
It also noted that growth from the Android ecosystem will be slower than the overall market at 8.5%.
"Smartphone shipments in China actually declined year over year in the first quarter of 2015, showing that the largest market in the world has reached a level of maturity where rapid growth will be harder to achieve," said Ryan Reith, programme director with IDC’s Worldwide Quarterly Mobile Phone Tracker, in a statement.
"This has implications for Android because China has been a critical market for Android smartphone shipments in recent years, accounting for 36% of total volume in 2014," Reith added. "As Chinese OEMs shift their focus from the domestic market to the next high-growth markets, they will face a number of challenges, including competition from ‘local’ brands."
