The global market expects a recovery of positive growth in the mobile phone market in 2024, with an anticipated growth of 2-4% over 2023. However, the overall recovery still appears slow.
To boost sales and respond to the upcoming peak season for phone sales in the second half of the year, the industry is focusing on the advancement of new features and the execution of new sales strategies aside from the highly anticipated new models such as Samsung's Galaxy Z series foldable phones, Google's Pixel 9 series, Apple's iPhone 16, and Sony's Xperia 1. These efforts are expected to positively impact phone shipment volumes.
According to insiders in the mobile phone industry, several trends in the newest products that launch in the second half of 2024 are worth noting. Firstly, following the release of Samsung's Galaxy S24, the market's attention is now on Google's upcoming Pixel 9 and Apple's iPhone 16, regarding their applications of Generative AI in particular.
At the recent Google I/O developer conference, Google introduced the Gemini Nano model tailored for mobile devices, giving the impression that Pixel 9 will be Google's first phone equipped with Gemini Nano. If Apple's application of Generative AI in iPhone 16 does not surpass that of Google, iPhone 16 sales may decline and give Android manufacturers a significant opportunity for a resurgence.
Secondly, Samsung's foldable phone, Galaxy Fold 6, set to be released in the early third quarter, is also a key focus. Observers are keen to see if Samsung will launch an affordable version of the Fold series or a high-end Fold 6 Ultra.
Experts point out that while the affordability of foldable phones could rapidly expand the market, there is already no shortage of low-cost models in the current foldable phone market. Instead, expectations are high for Apple's first foldable product, which, allegedly, could be a foldable tablet. If Samsung can seize the initiative by launching an Ultra version of its foldable product, it could benefit Samsung's operations and the development of innovation on foldable devices.
However, people in the industry also warned that if Samsung releases the Fold 6 Ultra, its pricing strategy will be crucial in determining whether it can scale up shipments and overcome major challenges.
Furthermore, regarding the overall strategies of Chinese brands, besides Huawei, Xiaomi, Honor, Oppo, and Vivo aiming to enhance their phones with AI, other highlight features are expected to be the center of the promoting campaign. These features include satellite communication support, more powerful camera capabilities, fast charging, cost-performance ratio, and flagship specs being incorporated into lower-tier models.
It is also worth noting that due to factors like inflation, the rising prices of various raw materials and components continue to pose challenges. Reducing administrative expenses and increasing the sales proportion of mid-to-high-end phones to alleviate the pressure of rising costs remains a pressing issue for industry players in the second half of 2024.
Article translated by Heidi Yin-Hsuan Tai
