-
-
News
News Highlights
- Books
Featured Books
- smt007 Magazine
Latest Issues
Current IssueProduction Software Integration
EMS companies need advanced software systems to thrive and compete. But these systems require significant effort to integrate and deploy. What is the reality, and how can we make it easier for everyone?
Spotlight on India
We invite you on a virtual tour of India’s thriving ecosystem, guided by the Global Electronics Association’s India office staff, who share their insights into the region’s growth and opportunities.
Supply Chain Strategies
A successful brand is built on strong customer relationships—anchored by a well-orchestrated supply chain at its core. This month, we look at how managing your supply chain directly influences customer perception.
- Articles
- Columns
- Links
- Media kit
||| MENU - smt007 Magazine
Worldwide Smartphone Shipments Grew 6.4% in 2024, Despite Macro Challenges
January 22, 2025 | IDCEstimated reading time: 2 minutes
According to preliminary data from the International Data Corporation (IDC) Worldwide Quarterly Mobile Phone Tracker , global smartphone shipments increased 2.4% year-over-year (YoY) to 331.7 million units in the fourth quarter of 2024 (4Q24). This marks the sixth consecutive quarter of shipment growth, closing the whole year with 6.4% growth and 1.24 billion shipments, marking a strong recovery after two challenging years of decline. We expect the market to continue growing in 2025, albeit at a slower pace, as refresh cycles continue growing and pent-up demand is fulfilled.
“The strong growth witnessed in 2024 proves the resilience of the smartphone market as it occurred despite lingering macro challenges, forex concerns in emerging markets, ongoing inflation, and lukewarm demand,” said Nabila Popal, senior research director for Worldwide Client Devices, IDC. “Vendors successfully adjusted their strategies to drive growth by focusing on promotions, launching devices in multiple price segments, interest-free financing plans, and aggressive trade-ins—fueling premiumization and boosting low-end devices—especially in China and emerging markets. While we remain optimistic about continued growth in 2025, the threat of new and increased tariffs from the new US administration has elevated uncertainty across the industry, driving some players to seek preventative measures to mitigate risks; however, thus far, the impact has been minimal.”
While Apple and Samsung maintained the top two positions in Q4 and for the year, both companies witnessed YoY declines, and their shares shrunk thanks to the super aggressive growth of Chinese vendors this year—who drove the overall market by focusing on low-end devices, rapid expansion and development in China. Outside of Apple and Samsung, Xiaomi came in third for the quarter and the year, with the highest YoY growth rate among the Top 5 players. Transsion placed fourth but tied with vivo for the quarter and with OPPO for the year as competition intensified between the three.
“This past quarter was particularly remarkable for the largest Chinese smartphone vendors: Xiaomi, Oppo, Vivo, Honor, Huawei, Lenovo, realme, Transsion, TCL, and ZTE. They achieved a historic milestone as they shipped the highest combined volume ever in a quarter, representing 56% of the global smartphone shipments in Q4,” said Francisco Jeronimo, vice president for EMEA Client Devices, IDC. “While their core markets remain China and Asia, these brands are rapidly expanding their footprint throughout Europe and Africa, driven by the strong performance of their low-end and mid-range devices. Notably, Huawei stands apart, with most of its shipments in the high-end and premium segments, underscoring its distinct market positioning in China.”
"Despite the continued growth across several regions, we have seen a decreased demand for foldables in the market, despite intensified promotions and marketing,” said Anthony Scarsella, research director for Client Devices, IDC. "Vendors have started shifting R&D away from foldables as consumer interest remains flat. Moreover, numerous vendors are prioritizing new AI advancements at the expense of foldables as AI is increasingly featured on more devices, particularly at the market's upper echelon thanks to GenAI.”
Testimonial
"The I-Connect007 team is outstanding—kind, responsive, and a true marketing partner. Their design team created fresh, eye-catching ads, and their editorial support polished our content to let our brand shine. Thank you all! "
Sweeney Ng - CEE PCBSuggested Items
Schweizer Ends Staff Restructuring Measures and Short-Time Working at the Schramberg Site
10/01/2025 | Schweizer Electronic AGSchweizer Electronic AG has implemented comprehensive measures to adjust its cost and personnel structure at its Schramberg site due to strong market fluctuations in the automotive and industrial electronics sector. Thanks to the successful restructuring, short-time working can now be ended with immediate effect. A stable order situation is expected for the fourth quarter, with signs of growth momentum returning in 2026.
Space Forge Inc. and United Semiconductors LLC Partner to Develop the Supply Chain for Space-grown Semiconductor Materials
09/29/2025 | Space Forge Inc.Space Forge Inc., the advanced materials company revolutionizing semiconductor manufacturing in space, has announced the signing of a strategic Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with United Semiconductors LLC, a leading specialist in bulk crystal growth of III-V semiconductor compounds. The agreement formalizes the ongoing collaborative efforts that started over a year ago, marking a significant step forward in strengthening the partnership between the two companies.
Nolan’s Notes: Everyone Has Their Eye on India
09/03/2025 | Nolan Johnson -- Column: Nolan's NotesIn this issue of SMT007 Magazine, we turn our attention to the Indian EMS market. We start with an interview with David Bergman, whose foresight in the early 2000s opened doors for the Global Electronics Association to begin helping Indian EMS companies with standards and certifications that would give EMS companies a footing to enter a global EMS market.
North American PCB Industry Shipments Up 20.7% in July
08/27/2025 | Global Electronics AssociationThe Global Electronics Association announced today the July 2025 findings from its North American Printed Circuit Board (PCB) Statistical Program. The book-to-bill ratio stands at 1.00. Total North American PCB shipments in July 2025 were up 20.7% compared to the same month last year.
TTM Technologies: Bridging East and West with Strategic Expansion
08/25/2025 | Marcy LaRont, I-Connect007As global supply chains shift and demand for supply chain resiliency grows, TTM Technologies is expanding with purpose: bolstering its U.S. presence while maintaining a strong footprint in Asia. With recent moves in Wisconsin and Malaysia, the company is positioning itself to better support customers amid an evolving geopolitical landscape. In this interview, President and CEO of TTM Technologies Tom Edman discusses TTM’s expansion strategy, the future of manufacturing, and his planned retirement after his long tenure at the helm of the company.