Smartphone shipments are expected to grow 11.3 percent in 2015 against 27.6 percent in 2014, said IDC.

Many markets will experience robust growth in 2015 and beyond, and worldwide shipment volumes are forecast to reach 1.9 billion units annually by 2019, said IDC Worldwide Quarterly Mobile Phone Tracker.

Smartphone growth of 2.5 percent in China in 2015 will be slower than the global market. Android smartphone growth is expected to be slower than the worldwide market at 8.5 percent in 2015.

Smartphone shipments in China declined year over year in the first quarter of 2015 – impacting the Android market because China has been a critical market for Android smartphone shipments in recent years, accounting for 36 percent of total volume in 2014.

“As Chinese OEMs shift their focus from the domestic market to the next high-growth markets, they will face a number of challenges, including competition from local brands,” said Ryan Reith, program director with IDC’s Worldwide Quarterly Mobile Phone Tracker.

Apple iOS smartphones will grow 23.0 percent in 2015 and remain above worldwide market growth rates throughout the forecast.

Baburajan K
[email protected]