Is the smartphone era over? Analysts warn handset sales are set to collapse

They have become an essential part of everyday life, replacing everything from our TV to our games console.
Yet analysts warn be may finally be tiring of constantly having to upgrade our smartphones - and say sales are set to drop dramatically.


Growth in global smartphone shipments will fall sharply this year and keep slowing through 2018, with average prices dropping significantly as demand shifts to China and other developing countries, according to market research firm IDC.

+1

The end of an era? Annual smartphone sale growth in 2014 is expected to be 19.3 percent and then decline to 6.2 percent in 2018, IDC said in a report.

Annual growth in 2014 is expected to be 19.3 percent and then decline to 6.2 percent in 2018, IDC said in a report.

That follows a 39.2 percent jump in 2013 when smartphone shipments topped 1 billion units for the first time.