In a recent whitepaper we highlighted important statistics you should know in 2022, particularly as we prepare for the increasing likelihood of the return to a true post-COVID “normalcy.”
Throughout this world’s unprecedented digital transformation the pandemic has caused over the last two years, we’ve also seen technology grow at its most rapid pace yet. One sector that has consistently remained at the center of that growth is the smartphones, wearables, and devices space, and for good reason.
Vendors are launching new products to keep up with not only their competitors but also with innovations in 5G, Augmented and Virtual Reality, and Artificial Intelligence. Despite the recent freefall of Peloton, health and fitness remain at the forefront of consumers’ minds, and digital interaction continues to evolve in parallel. Wearable technology continues to evolve in clothing thanks to sensors that gather and deliver data to improve the user experience, particularly from a health and fitness standpoint.
Corporate use cases for wearables are also becoming more common, and wearable technology is now created by small and medium firms as well as huge digital corporations for consumer and commercial applications.
The strong adoption of remote work has brought on the uptick of wireless headsets, with consumers looking for enhanced personal audio experiences that help minimize distractions and amplify sound.
The wearables market will continue to be dominated, however, by smartwatches, as shipments are projected to reach 236.55 million by 2026, at a CAGR of 19.7%, leading the smart accessory market.
Smartwatches and fitness trackers have become effective and reliable health and activity monitoring devices that have experienced an increase in demand as consumers become more health-conscious, embracing a need to track and monitor health vitals.
Wireless headset shipments are expected to reach 723 million units shipped worldwide in 2026.
Features like noise cancellation technology will improve the UX and offer a more extensive range of future use cases. “Furthermore, as voice control becomes the dominant User Interface (UI) for hands-free control of smartphones and smartwatches, true wireless headsets will also become significant drivers for the growth and adoption of voice assistants,” says Filomena Iovino, Research Analyst.
Devices with foldable screens will reach nearly 10% of all smartphone sales by 2030.
Folding smartphone models, based on unfold-to-tablet design, were among the first to market but delays due to inadequate technology implementations resulted in poor UXs.
David McQueen, ABI Research Director explains, “However, with these problems now mostly resolved, the addition of more innovative designs, such as fold-to-compact models, folding form factor with its enhanced functionality, and evolution in device experiences, will see an increase in popularity, despite still having relatively high price points. Consequently, a significant change in market availability and breakthrough of many more flexible screened devices is expected in 2022.”
Despite the introduction of 5G networks as a premium feature, many device types in the wearables and accessories sector will not become completely self-connected; instead, they will still need to integrate with a smartphone or hub. According to Iovino, “The 5G attach rate for wearables and accessories will remain low at about 0.6% by 2026 and will be mainly related to sectors such as smartwatches and headsets. High-data gathering and low-power efficiency will be the key strengths for these smart gadgets, increasing both demand and popularity, particularly in the healthcare industry.”
Our 5G Devices, Smartphones & Wearables Research Service provides invaluable research and data synergies spanning these major sectors, including chipsets, modems, Radio Frequency Front End (RFFE), and integral ecosystem analyses.
The service focuses on technologies related to end devices and terminals, with particular attention paid to those related to 5G. Typical devices studied include smartphones, wearables, mobile broadband modems, tablets, always-connected personal computers, fixed wireless products, mobile accessories, new device form factors, and a number of Internet of Things (IoT) devices.