{Sub-Saharan Africa is set to remain the world’s fastest growing market for smartphones, two industry reports say.}
The reports were released separately early in the week — one by Ericsson Mobility and another one by the GSM Association, an organisation of mobile operators and related companies.
According to the latest Ericsson Mobility report, mobile phone subscriptions are expected to reach 9.3 billion by 2019, and more than 60 per cent of these — 5.6 billion — will be for smartphones.
Rapid
Currently, smartphones represent between 25 and 30 per cent of global subscriptions, yet they account for the majority (55 per cent) of mobile phones sold in Q3.
Over the forecast period, smartphone uptake in sub-Sahara Africa will be relatively rapid, driven partly by low-cost handsets entering the market and the increasing demand for mobile devices content.
“The rapid pace of smartphone uptake has been phenomenal and is set to continue. It took more than five years to reach the first billion smartphone subscriptions, but it will take less than two to hit the two billion mark. Between now and 2019, smartphone subscriptions will triple.
“Interestingly, this trend will be driven by uptake in China and other emerging markets as lower-priced smartphone models become available,” said Douglas Gilstrap, senior vice president and head of strategy at Ericsson.
The GSMA report, on the other hand, notes that mobile phones will bolster job creation in Africa by 6.6 million by 2020.
Chief regulatory officer Tom Phillips said that despite the significant impact of the mobile industry in sub-Sahara Africa in recent years, even greater opportunities are ahead.
According to the report, sub-Sahara Africa’s unique mobile subscriber base has grown by 18 per cent annually over the last five years, making it the fastest growing region globally.
“Beyond further growth for voice services, the region is starting to see an explosion in the uptake of mobile data,” he said. “However, a short-term focus by some countries on generating high spectrum fees and maximising tax revenue risks constraining the potential of the mobile Internet.”
The report says: “Last year, the mobile ecosystem directly supported 3.3 million jobs and contributed $21 billion to public funding in the region, including licence fees.
This is GSMA’s latest comprehensive study of the socio-economic impact of the mobile industry in sub-Sahara Africa.
Business Daily
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