Over the past decades the mobile phone industry has transformed itself into a highly sophisticated ecosystem. With the bar of consumer expectation about what smartphones can do constantly rising, smartphones remain the key personal device. In the first half of 2018 a total of 693.5 million smartphones were sold globally. 

Global smartphone sales reached 397 million units in the fourth quarter of 2017 (4Q17), a one percent increase year-on-year. Demand was primarily driven by Middle East and Africa, which experienced eight percent growth, and Central & Eastern Europe, where demand grew seven percent. Global smartphone Average Sales Price (ASP) increased by ten percent year-on-year to $363, its fastest quarterly growth rate to date.

In the technical consumer goods arena smartphones are again the powerhouse. In addition to a new record in global demand for smartphones in the first half of 2017, the average selling price (ASP) also increased. These are GfK's findings for the global telecom market on the occasion of IFA 2017 in Berlin. GfK data shows that, between January and June 2017, 700 million smartphones were sold worldwide. 

The positive mood among European consumers has also continued into the second quarter of 2017. After the nine-year peak at the beginning of the year, the consumer climate has remained at a high level for the EU 28 and closed at 19.1 points at the end of June. Overall, the results of the GfK consumer climate study are again quite mixed for Europe in the second quarter of 2017.

 GfK has released findings showing which vehicle features, from a given list, people see as being ‘very important’ in a vehicle. Hygiene factors of safety in an accident, reliability, fuel economy and low running costs naturally top of the list.

For the first time since the release of the iPhone in 2007, smartphone sales in France have fallen. According to a study published by the market and consumer information research company GfK, 20.2 million smartphones were sold in France in 2016. This represents a six percent reduction on the previous year, yet the market is still valued at €3.7bn.

Consumer confidence has started 2017 on an extremely positive note. Both economic and income expectations as well as propensity to buy have improved. The overall consumer climate indicator is forecasting 10.2 points for February 2017, following 9.9 points in January.

In the third quarter of 2016, the Western European Technical Consumer Goods market contracted by 2.4%, compared to the same quarter in 2015. The market was heavily affected by the GBP/Euro exchange rate. There were sales value increases in the major domestic appliances, small domestic appliances and telecommunications sectors. All other sectors declined in value. The TCG market in Western Europe in Q3 2016 generated revenue of €49.7bn.

A recent, international GfK survey, conducted online in 16 countries, shows one in three people (33%) currently monitor or track their health or fitness via an online or mobile application, or via a fitness band, clip, or smartwatch. China is well in the lead for monitoring health and fitness in this way, with 45% of the online population currently doing this. Brazil and the USA come next, with 29% each, closely followed by Germany (28%) and...

Innovative applications such as action cams, drones, head cams and smart glasses are all now as much a part of imaging as taking photos with conventional cameras or smartphones. Areas of application also include the automotive sector, security and medical technology. Across this broad range, global sales of imaging equipment to consumers will rise to 1.6bn units in 2016. 

The Western European Technical Consumer Goods (TCG) market is currently stable in Q1 2016, with a mixture of ups and downs in the seven sectors, compared to Q1 2015. There were sales value increases in the Major Domestic Appliances (MDA), Small Domestic Appliances (SDA) and Telecommunications (TC) sectors. In all other sectors sales value declined, although very marginally. The overall TCG market in Western Europe in Q1 2016 generated €50.8b...

According to the latest research from GfK, smart home technology is set to make a significantly greater impact on the lives of consumers than wearables. The study covered seven countries and asked consumers to choose which of 11 leading edge technologies (from 3D printing to augmented/virtual reality to Internet of Things) would have an impact on their lives in the next few years. (Respondents could choose as many technologies as they wished...

In the second quarter of 2015, the Western European technical consumer goods market generated sales of around €46.2bn. This corresponded to 2.3% growth, compared to Q2 2014. The key driver was the telecomms market, which reported double-digit growth. With regard to individual countries, sales development was largely positive, with the exception of the bigger markets: France, Germany, and the UK, which faced minimal falls in sales volumes.&nb...

In anticipation of a number of new technology gadgets being launched this summer, GfK has released international findings on how important the look and style of a technology product is to consumers, in deciding which one to buy. Across all 22 countries surveyed, one in three consumers (33%) firmly agree that look and style is very important, compared to less than one in ten (9%) who firmly disagree. This balance is exactly the same for both men a...

Consumer mood sees a small setback in August as the consumer climate declines slightly. Following a value of 10.1 points in August 2015, the overall indicator is forecasting 9.9 points for September. The economy and income expectations as well as the willingness to buy have suffered losses. 

Almost six in ten smartphones sold in Q2 2015 were 4G-enabled, according to the latest global smartphone sales data from GfK. And with a major operator launching 4G services in India at the start of this month, 4G is now available in all key countries. GfK forecasts 4G smartphone penetration to continue to grow at the expense of 3G, which is currently at 38% of smartphone units and is forecast to decline by another percentage point by Q4 2015.