Well, it is yet another year talking about the big thing in the room and that is smartphones. Smartphones have become more than just devices; they’re a lifestyle, a necessity we can’t imagine living without. Yet, as we step into 2025, one question lingers: Have smartphones hit their innovation plateau?
In 2025, smartphone sales are expected to grow by 4% compared to last year, reaching an estimated market value of US$0.5 trillion worldwide. Budget smartphones, in particular, are projected to see significant growth, driven by their affordability and increasingly competitive features.
Over the past years, we have seen some very major upgrades when it comes to smartphones. From displays, cameras, general looks, and even the software itself for the past two to three years we have seen rather slow growth in what we can call smartphone advancements. Particularly this is mostly in effect on flagships and higher midrange devices.
I remember the excitement of watching launch events from brands like OnePlus and Samsung, anticipating revolutionary features and bold design changes. Back then, each release brought something fresh to the table: improved cameras, innovative software, or daring aesthetics. Today, however, that thrill seems to have waned, replaced by incremental updates and repeated designs.
What Does 2025 Look Like?
The trends of 2024 will largely persist in 2025. While hardware improvements may plateau, software—particularly artificial intelligence (AI)—will take center stage. The industry will yet again see improvements mostly on the software side and not that much also but the major thing will continue to be AI. As we saw last year, AI was the major call for every brand its some major, others just building on top of existing Android core AI features but yes, AI will continue being the big thing in 2025.
2025 will not be much different from 2024. This also means the cost of purchasing new smartphones in the market. With taxes being a driving factor, smartphones will still be at a higher cost going into 2025 and even beyond.
Though smartphones may be at their peak, we can also be on the lookout for more advancements in terms of display looks and chipsets like the latest flagship Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite. Slimmer phones is also something we can be aware of like the OnePlus 13 recently announced with a slimmer body but packing a huge battery.
Foldable smartphones will of course not be left out. As we have seen with the latest launches of 2024, we can expect some slim folding phones which will make it more enticing for more people to join that side of the market and also bring a whole lot of improvements is the foldable market.
The Role of AI in Smartphones
You may have seen lots of brands adding AI on every phone, especially in the last quarter of 2024. AI is good and can help when it comes to daily productivity, especially for us who depend on our phones every day and even for work, but that doesn’t mean it is perfect. My thought is most brands rushed everything AI just to catch up to what’s trending. You may find that most features work but some have not been polished to the best yet. As you may have heard the statement “THIS FEATURE WILL BE AVAILABLE AT A LATER DATE” well some brands have kept their promise but some, it’s a story for another day.
If implemented well, AI can be the best thing that can happen to the smartphone revolution now that we have reached the epitome of designs and powerhouses.
My Take
High-end smartphones may have reached their peak in design and performance, but the midrange and budget segments hold exciting growth potential. In 2024, we saw the introduction of IP-rated budget smartphones, signaling a shift toward more durable and feature-rich devices at accessible price points. This trend is likely to continue in 2025, making quality smartphones available to a broader audience.
As we navigate 2025, smartphones may not offer groundbreaking transformations, but they remain central to our daily lives. Whether through incremental AI improvements or the refinement of foldable, the industry still has the potential to surprise us.
Discover more from TechED Africa
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
