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Hardware

Smartphone Shipments Flat For the First Time, Says IDC 105

Posted by msmash from the give-us-something-new dept.
An anonymous reader writes: Smartphone vendors shipped a total of 334.9 million smartphones worldwide last quarter. This figure is up just 0.2 percent from the 334.3 million units in Q1 2015, marking the smallest year-over-year growth on record. We saw hints of this in yesterday's Apple earnings report, when the company reported an iPhone sales drop for the first time. Despite the poor state of the worldwide smartphone market, Samsung continues to dominate. In Q1 2016, the South Korean company once again shipped more smartphones than any other vendor.
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Smartphone Shipments Flat For the First Time, Says IDC More

Smartphone Shipments Flat For the First Time, Says IDC

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  • Reached good enough. (Score:5, Informative)

    by LWATCDR ( 28044 ) on Wednesday April 27, 2016 @02:47PM (#51999131) Homepage Journal

    I don't need to replace my MotoX at all. It runs the latest version of the OS and works well.

    • Re: (Score:3, Interesting)

      by npslider ( 4555045 )

      I feel the same about my iPhone 6. My hands are smaller, so a bigger device is too hard to use one handed. Further refinements to the software are always something I look forward to, but at its core, the phone does all I need it to do. The only reason I would upgrade is if my phone was lost or damaged beyond repair.

    • Re: (Score:3)

      by OzPeter ( 195038 )

      I don't need to replace my MotoX at all. It runs the latest version of the OS and works well.

      My original RAZR still runs the latest software for that platform and also works quite well at making phone calls!

    • Yep. My one plus is still going strong as well. If I bothered to use cases and treat the phone better I'd probably only need to update my phone every 3 years. As it is, wear and tear are the reasons I tend to upgrade. More often that not its the damn micro usb port. Hopefully the type c connectors will be much more durable.

    • Re: (Score:2)

      by Hadlock ( 143607 )

      My 2013 X had some update that causes the radio to stay switched on after a background request, which is nuking the battery. Other than that awful awful bug (ended up using it as an excuse to buy a Nexus 5x) it's been running great. I do especially miss the OLED screen though, LCD displays look awful in comparison.

    • Re: (Score:2)

      by Matheus ( 586080 )

      I'd feel the same way... except for, as with nearly every phone I've owned, the headphone jack no longer functions well!

      Motorola: This isn't that hard a concept! *Reinforce the damn jack.

      Otherwise I'm looking forward to an unlocked Gen2 Moto-X. My Gen1 is not quite so snappy in its old age and I want the better camera and storage too.

      • Re: (Score:3)

        by Matheus ( 586080 )

        PS. I have difficulty feeling any sympathy for an industry that shipped 1/3 Billion units last year. I'm sorry you can't sustain growth indefinitely but you're selling plenty of product to make lots and lots of money. Fuck off.

      • Re: (Score:2)

        by LWATCDR ( 28044 )

        Smart phones have reached a state of maturity. They are not improving by leaps and bounds any longer so the upgrade cycle is getting longer. PCs have been that way for a while now and now phones and tablets have reached that point.
        Sorry but the days of massive growth are probably over for a while. Maybe if you see a massive increase in the middle class in India, China, Latin America, and or Africa but then you will probably see the growth in local companies and not the current producers like Apple and Samsu

        • I was arguing this with the last gen. I can surf the Web, watch videos, etc. without noticeable lag, so what motivation is there to continually upgrade? The only real limitation is the physical life of the device, which I fear manufacturers have more incentive to disregard than improve.

        • Smart phones have reached a state of maturity. They are not improving by leaps and bounds any longer so the upgrade cycle is getting longer. PCs have been that way for a while now and now phones and tablets have reached that point. Sorry but the days of massive growth are probably over for a while. Maybe if you see a massive increase in the middle class in India, China, Latin America, and or Africa but then you will probably see the growth in local companies and not the current producers like Apple and Samsung.

          This is exactly what I said yesterday (that phones and tablets were now a "mature" market), when all the slashtards were out claiming that Apple was doomed, because iPhone sales weren't growing as fast as usual.

          But, as I suspected, it isn't just Apple...

    • Re:Reached good enough. (Score:4, Interesting)

      by ljw1004 ( 764174 ) on Wednesday April 27, 2016 @03:25PM (#51999409)

      My $75 smartphone isn't "good enough" - it's fine for most apps and phone tasks, but is too slow at complex webpages (usually because of ads, specifically video ads).

      I wonder if there's still market opportunity for budget smartphones?

      • Re: (Score:3)

        by JanneM ( 7445 )

        [...]it's fine for most apps and phone tasks, but is too slow at complex webpages (usually because of ads, specifically video ads).

        Install an adblocker. Free, unlike getting a new phone, and it'll help your monthly data usage as well.

      • Re: (Score:2)

        by antdude ( 79039 )

        No ad blockers for smartphones? :(

    • +1. My old Nokia broke 3 months ago, and there's basically no cheap durable dumbphone à la Nokia anymore on the market.
      So I've bought my first smartphone, a 2nd hand Moto G 1st Gen. It does everything I need and much more, and it would be like an upgrade to an iPhone 12 for someone already used to modern smartphones.
      Obligatory relatex XKCD : https://xkcd.com/606/ [xkcd.com]

      • Re: (Score:2)

        by LWATCDR ( 28044 )

        I kind of feel that way about PCs if I do not get double the performance it is not worth upgrading. My Sandybridge macbook is just fine for what I need it for. I am thinking of replacing the bettery and putting in an SSD.

    • That is one reason, but not the main reason why sales are flat. Those who already are willing to afford a smartphone and the ridiculously overpriced data plans will keep buying new models eventually. Where vendors are hitting a roadblock is with service providers who charge way too much for data service. Provide a decent, low cost, unlimited data plan and many more will be willing to buy a smartphone.

  • It seems smart phones have reached a point where the features and abilities have plateaued. Augmented reality headsets are the next step, keep people from getting mowed down in crosswalks by traffic!

    • My Nexus 5, now over two years old, works fine, and still works with the latest version of Android. It did have an issue with reporting the SIM card missing, but it turned out all I needed to do was take the case off and just re-insert the SIM card, so to my great relief I didn't have to buy a new phone.

      My daughter needs a new phone, so I'll probably end up getting a new one for Christmas this year, and gift mine to her. I did that with my iPhone 4, and it is just now that the phone is starting to have some

  • That's because most phones are good enough. (Score:3)

    by XxtraLarGe ( 551297 ) on Wednesday April 27, 2016 @02:49PM (#51999151) Journal
    I had an iPhone 4 for 4 years (oddly never experienced the reception problem), then upgraded to an iPhone 6 Plus. I'll probably have that one for 4 years as well. It makes phone calls, sends email, browses the web, lets me play games or read books during down time. Newer features such as pressure sensitive screens or "live" photos, 3D photos, or being able to pour a bottle of champagne on them [youtube.com] aren't really killer features. Mostly they strike me as gimmicks that don't give me an overwhelming desire to upgrade.

  • Waiting for vendors to get real (Score:4, Insightful)

    by WillAffleckUW ( 858324 ) on Wednesday April 27, 2016 @03:03PM (#51999243) Homepage Journal

    Why should I shell out $500 every year when I can just wait until they have something that is a real improvement in three years?

    And that fits in my fricking pocketses!

    • I have to say, I'm happy that Apple seems to be indicating with the iPhone SE that they are going to continue manufacturing small but smart devices. I think we're coming to the end of the "size wars" in smartphones. At some point it just doesn't make sense.

    • "Why should I shell out $500 every year when I can just wait until they have something that is a real improvement in three years?"

      Because these poor starving companies depend upon you to do your patriotic duty to support the economy and buy new shit as often as possible... after all you're not some kind of greedy socialist are ya?

      • Um, they make them in China or S Korea. Why not just buy them for $99 from those countries, if Apple and other firms won't pay US taxes on said earnings?

        Fair is Fair.

  • I've never had one. (Score:1, Insightful)

    by Anonymous Coward

    My landline phone does everything I need a phone to do. My computer does computer stuff. I see no need to mix the two.

    • A pocket-sized, internet-connected computer is extremely useful in some cases.

      These are predominantly new use cases based on user mobility---so yes, your regular computer is still better if you can sit at a desk to use it. Lots of things cannot be done at a desk or at home, and that is where smartphones shine.

      I use my phone more than my laptop during business travel, and I am eagerly awaiting the day I can leave the laptop behind entirely.

      • Re: (Score:3, Insightful)

        by MightyMartian ( 840721 )

        I use mine as a router when I'm out of town. Generally the quality of hotel WiFi is so terrible that I end up tethering. I have an SSH and RDP client on my phone, not pleasant to use, but in an emergency when I have to talk to the office servers, it will do. It's a damned handy device.

    • Re: (Score:2, Insightful)

      by Anonymous Coward

      My landline phone does everything I need a phone to do. My computer does computer stuff. I see no need to mix the two.

      Funny you should mention that. A few days ago I saw an ad on television for Amazon's Fire phone. It shows a man and woman sitting on the couch in their living room, trying to decide what movie to watch on their phone.

      Wait . . . what?

      Yes, I'm old. And yes, I have actually told people to get off my lawn. But I have a 55 inch television in my living room, a 27 inch monitor on the computer I'm currently using to type this (a computer which is also quite a bit more powerful and capable than your phone or you

      • I don't want to watch a movie on my phone, but I do often search for a good movie to watch on my phone while having a conversation with the wife/friend/kid. Then go torrent it & watch it on the big screen.

      • You realize that smart phones can now send the video to smart TVs, right? Ever heard of Chromecast?

        • That's overly complicated. Why would he want to use his phone to stream something to his TV? He can just get DirecTV or something and flip through the guide to watch or record something. If he isn't happy he can view something from DirecTV On Demand, record it and keep it for the life of the Reciever; heck he can even plug his receiver into his computer and "tape" it.

          A Smart Phone really isn't all that smart, sorry. Really, you Z Generation Kids are missing out.

      • All great points, but airport gate attendants still seem rather nonplussed whenever you ask them where onboard you can plug in a 55" LCD.

      • My landline phone does everything I need a phone to do. My computer does computer stuff. I see no need to mix the two.

        Funny you should mention that. A few days ago I saw an ad on television for Amazon's Fire phone. It shows a man and woman sitting on the couch in their living room, trying to decide what movie to watch on their phone.

        Well, judging by the sales numbers of the Fire devices, nobody wants that. At least not on Fire.

      • Re: (Score:2)

        by vakuona ( 788200 )

        Well, Amazon Video in not available on the Apple TV. However, it is available on the iPhone, and it allows one to "AirPlay" it to the Apple TV. So, when I want to watch something on Amazon TV, I get the iPhone out and watch it on the 40" TV in HD.As soon as it it outputting to AirPlay, the app becomes a remote control of sorts. Oh, and the iPhone also works as a more capable remote for the Apple TV than the official Apple TV remote.

        Smartphones are more capable in some respects than PCs. It's a lot harder to

    • Re: (Score:3, Funny)

      by inode_buddha ( 576844 )

      Marry me?

    • My landline phone does everything I need a phone to do. My computer does computer stuff. I see no need to mix the two.

      That's just great, since you never leave your mom's basement!

      • Re: (Score:1)

        by Anonymous Coward

        That's funny, everyone I know who lives in their mom's basement is tethered to their smart phone, and everyone I know who rejects a cell phone is in their 30's or 40's and salaried. Now, there's clearly some sampling bias, but the basement dwellers are most likely to waste money on a cell phone when they remain in wifi range their whole lives.

    • Re: (Score:2)

      by Quirkz ( 1206400 )

      Other than preferring a cell phone to a landline phone, I mostly agree. I don't like intermediate devices. Never could get into tablets, for instance, and when I want to use a computer I generally want to set down with a large screen and a keyboard and use a proper computer.

      That said, there are a couple of things that a smart phone does that I wouldn't use for a computer, like an interactive map as I travel. I also occasionally find it useful for on-the-fly information gathering, such as if I'm already out

    • Re: (Score:3)

      by tepples ( 727027 )

      My landline phone does everything I need a phone to do.

      Including arrange a ride home after the city buses have stopped running for the night or weekend, if you happen to be where a payphone used to be?

  • The current trend in mobile carriers in the US is moving away from the "free with 2 year contract" sales gimmick and phone subsidies. With AT&T the payment options are now pay full price up front, or essentially a 0% financing option over a term you pick from 12 to 36 months. Let me tell you from very recent personal experience, seeing the cost of a new smartphone clearly stated as $700 or x$ per month puts a very fast damper on the desire for a new shiny. I clicked cancel and decided to stick with m
  • 1) There are not any killer new features, and in most cases of the 2016 flagship phones, features have been removed (wireless charging, replaceable battery, sd card slot). Why would I upgrade my phone for a slightly faster processor and more ram, while losing all these features of my past phone? I just replaced the battery in my Note 2 and now it will last all day on one charge again, instead of 45 minutes on the original battery. 2) Carriers have stopped "subsidizing" phones (this is a good thing). While

  • The iPhone 6 SE is so much better because it has a .... erm..... Well the Galaxy S7 includes a fingerpr..... it includes a payme.....

    Why the heck should I upgrade my phone?

    • Re: (Score:2)

      by starless ( 60879 )

      I need to upgrade my Samsung S4 because the battery goes flat very quickly (even though I replaced it with a new one) and it keeps telling me I'm running out of storage space and things will stop working. Even though it appears to have 0.5 GB free I'm slowly having to delete apps to keep it going for another week or so each time I remove one.

      Am I being too paranoid in suspecting the manufacturer and/or carrier are deliberately causing my phone problems?

      • Re: (Score:2)

        by GTRacer ( 234395 )
        Can't comment on battery cos I replaced my S4's battery and got normal life back. I have had the "mystery dissapearing storage" issue - turns out there were files in a hidden directory not counted by the space cleaning wizard.

        Something you may want to consider, even though it's a bit of a pain - Do a full backup, then a total wipe + factory reset (if you can). Then reinstall.
      • Space management is a freaking hell in Android and I say that as someone who otherwise loves the platform.
        I recently (also have an s4) had space troubles and it turns out a system app called "download manager" or something like that (sorry I don't remember and also my phone is in Spanish) was using around 1GB of cache.
        Also, new smartphones should have a minimum 32GB of internal memory and it'd be nice if Android allowed apps being installed (completely, not partially like some allow now) install apps in M
    • The Galaxy S7 has a much better fingerprint scanner than the S5, which worked on the "swipe you finger 20 times then type in your passcode" principle. However, they omitted the infrared transmitter, which probably saved them a whole 25 cents in parts costs. In general, I agree that the latest phones offer no compelling reasons to upgrade.

  • I am still using my iPhone 5 and I don't feel the need to replace it yet. I got the battery replaced so I am fine.
    It still plays my podcasts, streams, read emails, GPS navigation, tracking by bike rides and the phone calls now and then.
    When I upgraded from the iPhone 4 to 5, I felt like the $900(-$380 for selling the old 4) I paid for the new phone, wasn't really worth the upgrade at the time.
    The size of the iPhone 6 and the camera bump didn't make me want to replace my current phone. :D

    Now they say that t

  • > Despite the poor state of the worldwide smartphone market, Samsung continues to dominate.

    This doesn't make sense. Firstly, why call a flattening a 'poor state' of the market? Secondly, even if the state is poor, that does not relate to who dominates the market.

  • It would be interesting to know at least the top 10 manufacturers.

  • Smartphone Shipments Flat For the First Time

    So what...were they round before??

    That must have been a shipping nightmare! ;-)

  • The only reason I upgrade phones is because my wife keeps letting the kids break hers. She gets my hand me down, I get the flagship.

    I'm starting to think we've hit a point of peak device hype and maybe consumerism is slowing down. This should frighten the crap out of corporations since the only thing that could be leading to this is the possibility that the largest shopping generation (Y/millenials) are actually savvy about learning via the internet and realize they've been duped into spending everything
  • I really just don't get why this is news, or a surprise to anybody. There comes a point when you sell so many that you will saturate the market, and this is exactly what has happened. It's not like they aren't selling, it's just that things have reached a point and that's that.

    And the next thing: Why is it such big news that Apple's sales have leveled off. Seriously, it's the same issue, and what does it really matter? I am, in fact, an Apple fan (my household has 7 various Apple devices), but I fail to se

    • Why is it such big news that Apple's sales have leveled off.

      Not levelled off. Dropped. Like the proverbial rock.

  • So, if the smartphone market has matured, commodity hardware can't be far behind. When Sammy & Apple can't get an edge on features, people will buy the cheapest and standardization drives down cost. Standardized hardware lends itself to open-source software. The biggest obstacle to flashing Sailfish on my N9 (how's that for clinging to old hardware?) is device drivers. Sailfish on iPhone hardware would be pretty cool. Small value-add shops can craft custom solutions. Imagine a local shop that can

    • The $800 smartphone is going the way of the $3000 laptop. Further growth will be in numbers, not in total market dollars, at least in hardware. Software and online services will continue growing exponentially for the foreseeable future. Apple has a serious problem on its hands, or at least, the windfall profits of the last decade will drift away into ancient history. Apple's best bet is to jack up online service prices for its slowly declining fan base, much the way Microsoft keeps tightening the screws on

  • Apple down, Android up.

  • Perhaps because there are fewer carrier subsidies in large markets such as the USA, so fewer people are buying these expensive phones?

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