Global smartphone shipments amounted to above 300 million units in the fourth quarter of 2022 and are estimated to go down to only around 260 million units in first-quarter 2023, slipping a double-digit percentage sequentially in both quarters, according to DIGITIMES Research's latest figures on the global smartphone market.
With many countries worldwide struggling with rising inflation and weakening consumer purchasing, in addition to the bankruptcy crisis within the banking industry, US and European central banks have decelerated their interest rate hikes, which could lead to uncertainties in the global economy and dampens consumer confidence.
Compared to the forecasts made in December 2022, DIGITIMES Research has lowered the estimated numbers on whole-year 2022 and 2023 global smartphone shipments by four million units and 66 million units to 1.161 billion units and 1.124 billion units, respectively, the numbers show.
DIGITIMES Research also adjusted its estimates on fourth-quarter 2022 smartphone shipments in China upwardly to 70.8 million units, an on-year decline of 13%, and lowered the shipments in markets outside of China by 13.4 million units to 236 million with the on-year decline widening to 19.6%.
For global 5G smartphone shipments, DIGITIMES Research now estimates whole-year 2022 volumes to be 589 million units compared to the earlier forecast of 595 million units made in December 2022, while whole-year 2023 shipments are expected to arrive at 679 million units.
