AFP, Washington :
The smartphone revolutionized how people live and work, but the technology world is now struggling to see what comes next.
As smartphone sales have peaked in most major markets, Apple, Samsung and others are being forced to rethink their business models to keep growing and connecting with consumers.
The trend in smartphones appears to follow similar peaks in tablet sales and personal computers, said Bob O’Donnell, chief analyst at Technalysis Research.
“We are clearly entering a new era where growth of traditional devices has ended and you have to think differently,” O’Donnell said.
It’s not clear what will be the “next big thing” in technology or even if there is one, and that is troubling for an industry that has been living off growth from smartphones and their ecosystems of Android and Apple iOS applications.
John Curran, managing director of Accenture’s communications, media, and technology group, said that in a maturing smartphone market, consumers are not hesitating about new purchases.
“Consumers are basically satisfied with their current devices,” said Curran.
Curran said the Internet of Things appears to be a promising market but that no single device has proved compelling so far.
“We’re seeing a broad range of devices, smartwatches, home automation, drones and the like,” Curran said.
“But these are not taking off (because) people don’t see the personal value in their lives yet.”
An Accenture survey released in January, based on polls in 28 countries, found declines in purchase intent for new smartphones and other big-ticket electronics devices.
Only a relative small number of consumers expressed interest in new Internet of Things devices such as smartwatches or drones-expressing concerns over cost, security and complexity of use.
Curran said the smartphone became wildly popular because it addressed a key problem of communications for people on the go, but that the next big thing is not clear.
“Consumers are looking for things that solve practical, tangible problems,” he said.
The smartphone revolutionized how people live and work, but the technology world is now struggling to see what comes next.
As smartphone sales have peaked in most major markets, Apple, Samsung and others are being forced to rethink their business models to keep growing and connecting with consumers.
The trend in smartphones appears to follow similar peaks in tablet sales and personal computers, said Bob O’Donnell, chief analyst at Technalysis Research.
“We are clearly entering a new era where growth of traditional devices has ended and you have to think differently,” O’Donnell said.
It’s not clear what will be the “next big thing” in technology or even if there is one, and that is troubling for an industry that has been living off growth from smartphones and their ecosystems of Android and Apple iOS applications.
John Curran, managing director of Accenture’s communications, media, and technology group, said that in a maturing smartphone market, consumers are not hesitating about new purchases.
“Consumers are basically satisfied with their current devices,” said Curran.
Curran said the Internet of Things appears to be a promising market but that no single device has proved compelling so far.
“We’re seeing a broad range of devices, smartwatches, home automation, drones and the like,” Curran said.
“But these are not taking off (because) people don’t see the personal value in their lives yet.”
An Accenture survey released in January, based on polls in 28 countries, found declines in purchase intent for new smartphones and other big-ticket electronics devices.
Only a relative small number of consumers expressed interest in new Internet of Things devices such as smartwatches or drones-expressing concerns over cost, security and complexity of use.
Curran said the smartphone became wildly popular because it addressed a key problem of communications for people on the go, but that the next big thing is not clear.
“Consumers are looking for things that solve practical, tangible problems,” he said.
