Future of devices: emerging trends, evolving consumer behaviour and expanding digital services

In this latest research on devices, GSMA Intelligence explores how consumer behaviour is changing across areas such as smartphone replacement rates, preferred sales location, purchase drivers, brand loyalty and wearables ownership. It shows how smartphone replacement rates have been lengthening over the last couple of years, impacted by macro factors and by models retaining their utility for longer.

The report also considers the impact of new technologies. Advanced AI looks set to influence the future of smartphones across hardware, software and apps. In XR, Apple's entry into the area has the potential to boost the overall ecosystem and XR's chances of becoming a popular technology.

The rise of mobile digital services is examined in the research too. While smartphone hardware innovation remains important for consumers, the value for them increasingly lies in the smartphone as a platform for consuming digital services such as digital entertainment, social networking, fintech and e-health.

Finally, to illustrate the themes explored, the analysis provides operator case studies for EE, Turkcell and Orange.