Strategy Analytics (SA) reports global smartphone shipments are down by -38% Y-o-Y to 61.8 million units in February 2020-- the biggest fall ever in the history of the smartphone market, at least according to the analyst.
Such a decline is, perhaps obviously, the result of demand collapse in Asia due to the coronavirus (aka Covid-19) outbreak. Furthermore, some Asian factories are unable to manufacture smartphones, while many customers are unable or unwilling to visit stores and buy new devices. Demand is set to recover in China, but shipments will remain weak throughout March 2020.
"The coronavirus scare has spread to Europe, North America and elsewhere, and hundreds of millions of affluent consumers are in lockdown, unable or unwilling to shop for new devices," SA concludes. "The smartphone industry will have to work harder than ever to lift sales in the coming weeks, such as online flash sales or generous discounts on bundling with hot products like smartwatches.”
