Smartphones and wearables see record global demand

Sales value grew even further, at 12%, mostly due to a higher average selling price paid by consumers. This rose to €287 on a global level.

The strongest demand was seen in Emerging Asia, which saw a 16% rise, Central and Eastern Europe (up 11%) and Latin America (also up 11%). The growth in these regions more than compensated for stagnation in Western Europe, Developed Asia and North America, according to the report.

The demand for wearables – which includes smart watches, health and fitness trackers and wrist sport computers – also reportedly saw positive growth. Demand in Western Europe grew by 22% year-on-year, and in terms of sales value, the market grew by 33%. Asia saw an increase of 21% in unit sales and 26% in sales value.