Global mobile phone shipments to decline 14.6% in 2020: Gartner

London: Due to impacts of Covid-19, shipments of total mobile phones are forecast to decline 14.6 per cent in 2020, while smartphone shipments will achieve a slightly slower decline of 13.7 per cent year over year to total 1.3 billion units this year, according to a Gartner forecast on Tuesday.

“While users have increased the use of their mobile phones to communicate with colleagues, work partners, friends and families during lockdowns, reduced disposable income will result in fewer consumers upgrading their phones,” Ranjit Atwal, Senior Research Director at Gartner, said in a statement.

“As a result, phone lifetimes will extend from 2.5 years in 2018 to 2.7 years in 2020,” said Atwal.