Phones smarter with generative AI give industry hope to ring in sales

Technology improves videos and photos on devices, enables multiple tasks to be done in a single prompt from the user

In a flat market for smartphones, the hope is that generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) will make the difference for better sales.

A preliminary forecast by research group IDC said that 170 million smartphones with GenAI will be shipped in 2024, comprising almost 15 per cent of total shipments and compared to 51 million shipments in 2023. The forecast should cheer up original equipment manufacturers (OEM) who have been struggling with a global sales slowdown.

Smartphone shipments in India were flat in 2023 at 152 million units, according to Counterpoint Research. Sales improved in Q4 of 2023 but largely in the premium segment