Global smartphone replacement cycles have lengthened to an average of 40.2 months in primary markets. Hardware performance plateaus and modular software support commitments have diminished consumer incentives for annual upgrades.
Revenue Model Shifts
Hardware vendors are increasingly leveraging device-side AI features and recurring subscription services to sustain average revenue per user (ARPU). Mobile operators are adjusting trade-in subsidy structures to offset declining post-paid contract turnovers.