According to GfK, in the first quarter of 2015, global smartphone unit demand increased +7 percent, compared to the same period last year. Sales reached 310 million units, with growth down from +19 percent year-on-year in Q4 2014. This slowdown was caused by a year-on-year decline in demand for smartphones in China and developed countries of Asia, down -14 percent and -5 percent, respectively. Smartphone sales value in Western Europe declined on a year-on-year basis for the first time in Q1 2015, dragged down by Spain and France. As smartphone penetration nears saturation point, both countries are expected to see a slowdown in smartphone unit growth this year compared to 2014. In Central Europe, the macroeconomic situation in Russia has significantly impacted sales. As a result, GfK forecasts that 2015 smartphone demand in the region will grow more slowly than Western Europe for the first time since 2010.
