Global smartphone shipments fall 38% year-on-year in February 2020 due to coronavirus: Strategy Analytics

A new report from research firm Strategy Analytics showed on Saturday (March 21) that global smartphone shipments plunged as much as 38% year-on-year in February, 2020 due to coronavirus outbreak. It was the biggest fall recorded ever in the history of the smartphone market across the globe.

According to Lindia Sui, Director at Strategy Analytics, the smartphone shipments fell 38% year-on-year from 99.2 million units in February 2019 to just 61.8 million in February 2020.

Linda Sui, Director at Strategy Analytics, said, “Global smartphone shipments tumbled a huge 38 percent annually from 99.2 million units in the month of February, 2019, to 61.8 million in February, 2020. Smartphone demand collapsed in Asia last month, due to the Covid-19 outbreak, and this dragged down shipments across the world. Some Asian factories were unable to manufacture smartphones, while many consumers were unable or unwilling to visit retail stores and buy new devices.”

Neil Mawston, Executive Director at Strategy Analytics, added, “February 2020 saw the biggest fall ever in the history of the worldwide smartphone market. Supply and demand of smartphones plunged in China, slumped across Asia, and slowed in the rest of the world. It is a period the smartphone industry will want to forget.”

Yiwen Wu, Senior Analyst at Strategy Analytics, added, “Despite tentative signs of recovery in China, we expect global smartphone shipments overall to remain weak throughout March, 2020. The coronavirus scare has spread to Europe, North America and elsewhere, and hundreds of millions of affluent consumers are in lockdown, unable or unwilling to shop for new devices. The smartphone industry will have to work harder than ever to lift sales in the coming weeks, such as online flash sales or generous discounts on bundling with hot products like smartwatches.”