A research conducted by Strategy Analytics has shown global smartphone sales decreased 38% year-over-year in February, the largest drop ever in the smartphone industry.
In February, global smartphone sales reached 61.8m units, compared to 99.2m units in the same month last year.
The global smartphone industry has been affected by the fact that many factories in China have stopped operation due to the outbreak of the coronavirus.
With the spread of the COVID-19, manufacturing slowed in China in January, disrupting supply chains for many industries worldwide, especially for consumer electronics.
Additionally, people were unable and unwilling to shop in stores, as global economic slowdown reduced consumer spending on non-essential items and supplies.
Neil Waston, Executive Director at Strategy Analytics, said that in February, demand for smartphone in China and across Asia slowed, as well as worldwide, causing smartphone shipments to drop the most in history.
According to the analyst firm, fear of coronavirus has spread to Europe, North America, and other areas, and there are hundreds of millions of wealthy consumers who are unable or unwilling to shop for new devices.
Strategy Analytics added, “The smartphone industry faces an ever greater challenge to raise sales in the coming weeks, through online sales with big discounts.”
