Global smartphone market stalls as emerging markets saturate

The African smartphone market saw smartphone shipments grow by 6% year-on-year to 17.8 million units in Q2 2024, continuing recovery over the past three quarters against macroeconomic volatility.

According to analyst firm Canalys, the Southeast Asian smartphone market declined in Q1 2025, marking the end of five consecutive quarters of growth due to economic headwinds.

The African smartphone market grew 9% to 74.7 million units in 2024, as easing inflation across the continent boosted consumer purchasing power.