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IDC Predicts a Return to Growth for Smartphone Shipments 
September 23, 2019
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A new forecast from the International Data Corporation (IDC) Worldwide Quarterly Mobile Phone Tracker shows signs of market recovery in the second half of 2019 and into 2020, pushing smartphone shipment growth back into positive territory. IDC expects shipment volumes to be nearly flat (-0.4%) in the second half of 2019 while the market declines 2.2% year over year for the full year, making 2019 the third straight year of global contraction. 

​Table 1: Worldwide Smartphone Platform Shipments, Market Share, and 5-Year CAGR, 2018, 2019 and 2023 
Note: Assumes Huawei Replaces Android with Harmony
Source: IDC
​IDC expects shipment growth to reach 1.6% in 2020. The growth will be driven by the adoption of 5G phones, which is forecasted to be ~400% in 2020, 70% in 2021 and 40% in 2022.

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Figure 1: Smartphone Shipments by Mobile Technology Generation
Source: IDC