According to the latest research from our WSS (Smartphones) service, global dual-SIM smartphone sales will grow 19 percent to 514 million units in 2016. China and India are the largest country markets for dual-SIM smartphones. Apple iPhone is a notable absentee from the huge dual-SIM smartphone category.
We forecast worldwide dual-SIM smartphone sales to grow a healthy 19 percent from 431 million units in 2015 to 514 million in 2016. Dual-SIM smartphone sales will top the half-billion mark for the first time ever next year. Almost 1 in 3 of all 1.6 billion smartphones sold globally will be dual-SIM models in 2016. Dual-SIM is a killer feature for smartphones.
Dual-SIM smartphones with two or more SIM card slots, such as the Samsung Galaxy S5 Duos, are wildly popular in cost-conscious markets like India and China. Dual-SIM smartphones are popular in China and India because they allow consumers to select the cheapest tariff rates for voice or data plans, as well as access better cellular coverage without roaming charges, while removing the extra cost of owning multiple handsets for personal or business communications.
China and India are by far the two largest country markets for dual-SIM smartphones worldwide today. Leading global smartphone vendors, such as Samsung, Lenovo and Micromax, are focusing their dual-SIM Android models on China and India. One notable absentee from the worldwide dual-SIM smartphone market is Apple. By not offering a dual-SIM iPhone, Apple is missing out on a huge half-billion-unit global market.
Exhibit 1: Global Dual-SIM Smartphone Sales Forecast in 2015 to 2016 [1]
| Global Dual-SIM Smartphone Sales (Millions of Units) | 2015 | 2016 |
| Total | 431 | 514 |
| Growth Year-over-Year % | ~ | 19% |
| | | |
| Source: Strategy Analytics | | |
The full report can be viewed by clients here.
[1] The term “SIM” refers to Subscriber Identity Module.