Smartphone shipments dip as iPhone ‘fatigue’ sets in and China reaches saturation

From PC World: The global smartphone market saw its first year-on-year decline in the first quarter of this year, with both Samsung Electronics and Apple shipping fewer phones, according to a research firm.

Global smartphone shipments fell 3 percent annually to 334.6 million from 345 million units in the first quarter of 2015, Strategy Analytics said late Wednesday.

It attributed the decline to slowing smartphone growth because of increasing saturation in major markets like China and consumer caution about the future of the world economy.

Apple reported Tuesday that the number of smartphones it sold worldwide fell by 16 percent to 51.2 million units in its fiscal second quarter ended March 26. The company saw a 26 percent year-on-year decline in revenue from Greater China, its second largest market. The revenue drop in mainland China was less at 11 percent

The company’s problems could run deeper, as it is up against customer ennui, according to some analysts. Apple is facing iPhone fatigue and pressure is mounting for the company “to innovate a new wow design beyond its standard rectangle form factor," according to Neil Mawston, executive director at Strategy Analytics.

View: Article @ Source Site