AI to fuel smartphone sales rebound in 2017
In this article (5)
Consumer purchases of smartphones dropped to a three-year low in 2016, but Accenture believes sales will rebound this year, fueled by demand for new capabilities including AI-driven digital assistants.
A new global Accenture survey finds that the expected resurgence will be also fueled by the introduction of better security, new functions, improved performance and device refresh schedules.
Accenture polled 26,000 consumers in 26 countries. Results show that more than half (54%) of consumers surveyed said they plan to buy a smartphone in the next year, up from 48% in last year’s survey.
Chinese consumers are the main drivers of this upturn, with three-quarters (74%) of respondents in China saying they intend to purchase a smartphone in the coming 12 months, up from less than two-thirds (61%) in last year’s survey.
The number of respondents in India and the United States who said they plan to buy a smartphone in the coming 12 months also increased by double digits over last year, to 79% in India (from 68% last year) and 52% in the United States (from 38% last year).
Among all consumers surveyed, the leading driver of purchase intent is the ability to access the newest and most innovative features and functions, cited by 51% of respondents in this year’s survey, compared with only 41% last year.
“2017 will be the year when artificial intelligence goes mainstream in consumer devices.””
Another reason consumers are opting to buy new smartphones is the inadequate performance of their existing devices, cited by 45% of customers this year – up from 33% last year.
“Improved features and falling prices are key reasons consumers around the world are signaling a desire to buy new smartphones,” said David Sovie, global managing director for Accenture’s Electronics and High-Tech business.
“Growing acceptance of services powered by artificial intelligence, such as voice assistants, is also fueling this market upswing. 2017 will be the year when artificial intelligence goes mainstream in consumer devices.”
For the first time, the annual survey polled consumers about their intentions to buy digital voice-enabled assistants such as Amazon Echo and Google Home. Powered by artificial intelligence, the products recognize a human’s voice commands, such as ‘Turn on the light’ and ‘Play music’ and answer questions such as ‘What time is it?’ and ‘What is the temperature outside?’
While only 4% of the respondents said they own such a device today, two-thirds (65%) of these said they use their device on a regular basis, showing strong acceptance of this new technology.
Voice assistants on smartphones are also becoming increasingly popular as the AI technology powering these services has improved dramatically. Younger consumers are leading the adoption, with more than four in five (84%) of 14-to-17-year-olds saying they either use this technology today or are interested in doing so.
Consumers are also willing to embrace a wide array of potential AI-powered, personalized services, with a majority of respondents saying they are interested in personal health assistants (cited by 60%), smart trip assistants (59%) and entertainment advisors (51%).
Questions & Answers
Q.What is the primary reason Accenture predicts a rebound in smartphone sales for 2017?
What is the primary reason Accenture predicts a rebound in smartphone sales for 2017?
Accenture believes the rebound will be largely driven by demand for new capabilities, particularly AI-driven digital assistants. Other factors include better security, new functions, improved performance, and device refresh schedules.
Q.Which countries are showing the strongest intent to purchase new smartphones?
Which countries are showing the strongest intent to purchase new smartphones?
Chinese consumers are the main drivers of the upturn, with 74% intending to buy. India and the United States also show increased purchase intent, rising to 79% and 52% respectively this year.
Q.What are the leading reasons consumers plan to buy new smartphones, according to the survey?
What are the leading reasons consumers plan to buy new smartphones, according to the survey?
The leading reason is the ability to access the newest and most innovative features, cited by 51%. Another significant factor is the inadequate performance of their existing devices, cited by 45% of customers.
Q.What did the survey reveal about consumer interest in AI-powered personal services beyond digital assistants?
What did the survey reveal about consumer interest in AI-powered personal services beyond digital assistants?
A majority of respondents expressed interest in various AI-powered, personalised services. These include personal health assistants (60%), smart trip assistants (59%), and entertainment advisors (51%).
Reader pulse
Is AI the primary driver for 2017 smartphone sales?
17,020 votes so far