Coronavirus Impact: Global Smartphone Shipments Declined 38% in February

Global smartphone shipments witnessed a steep reject of 38 per cent Yr on Year (YoY) in February 2020 in the wake of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak, co-ordinate to market inquiry firm Strategy Analytics.

It has been the biggest fall ever in the history of the worldwide smartphone market.

According to Linda Sui, Director at Strategy Analytics, "global smartphone shipments tumbled a huge 38 per cent annually from 99.2 million units in the calendar month of February, 2019, to 61.eight meg in February, 2020."

"Smartphone demand complanate in Asia concluding calendar month, due to the Covid-19 outbreak, and this dragged downward shipments across the world. Some Asian factories were unable to manufacture smartphones, while many consumers were unable or unwilling to visit retail stores and purchase new devices," Sui said in a statement.

A large chunk of of smartphone production happens in China and with the outbreak of the novel coronavirus, manufacturing in the land slowed to a halt in January which disrupted supply chains to many industries around the earth, not express to consumer electronics.

"Feb 2020 saw the biggest fall ever in the history of the worldwide smartphone market. Supply and need of smartphones plunged in China, slumped beyond Asia, and slowed in the rest of the world. It is a menstruum the smartphone industry will desire to forget," said Neil Mawston, Executive Manager at Strategy Analytics.

The market research business firm noted that despite tentative signs of recovery in Red china, it expects 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 accept 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 similar smartwatches," added Yiwen Wu, Senior Analyst at Strategy Analytics.