The effort to manufacture and sell smartphones is a truly global effort. From design to sale, one can expect a smartphone to have already traveled halfway around the world, which in recent months, has been an impossibility for people, let alone smartphones. 

We are now five months on since the first Coronavirus cases were reported, and while no one could have imagined the devastating impact the virus has had on the world, we are at a stage where some restrictions are being relaxed to try and bring back some form of normality—whether that is extending hours allowed outside or encouraging shops, beaches and parks to reopen.

COVID-19 has wreaked havoc globally, taking lives and livelihoods on its path, and seriously impacting global economy. During this time, as a company and SMB, we have stayed focused on: keeping our employees and their loved ones healthy and employed, continuing to provide unparalleled service to our customers and partners and helping our first responders and fellow countrymen with our resources. Via this blog, I want to share some of the best practices in which our management team and employees collaborated to implement.

The impact that coronavirus has had on the world is truly shocking. It has robbed families of loved ones, disrupted global economies and generated tremendous levels of fear and anxiety. It has most certainly affected the global mobile device industry. Since the virus emanated in China, Chinese production lines for electronic devices have been significantly disrupted – factories and retail stores have closed while authorities work fast to stem its spread.

The mobile market in Africa is about to enter a golden age. According to a recent report from the GSMA, Sub-Saharan Africa is set to have the world’s fastest growth in smartphone uptake, with 160 million new mobile subscribers by 2025.

Over the years, Apple’s strategy for success has changed dramatically. While Apple started its foray into the world of tech with the launch of computers, it moved into the world of music with the launch of the iPod, and then into the smartphone market with the revolutionary launch of the iPhone.

The US/China trade-war has reached new heights. Over the last couple of weeks, we’ve seen the media report on the moves made against Chinese manufacturer Huawei. News reports have discussed developments including Huawei being banned from Google’s Android services, and suspending business activity with the manufacturer to comply with the US Administration ban. This news is going to cause major implications for global smartphone makers and consumers alike across the globe.

Last month, I was invited to the GSMA’s Fraud and Security Group (FASG) event in Chicago. The FASG aims to drive the industry’s management of fraud and security matters, and along with raising awareness, looks to increase the protection of mobile operator technology, customer identity, security and privacy, to ensure that mobile operators remain trusted partners within the telecoms industry.

Estimated to be worth $17 billion, the global secondary device market continues to grow. Counterpoint Research reported that worldwide sales of refurbished smartphones were at 140 million units in 2018. Though this was just a 1% growth over 2017, India realized a 14% growth of pre-owned device sales equalling 14 million units.

After months of planning and preparation, Mobile World Congress (MWC) now seems like a distant memory. With headlines and column inches over the past few months full of talk of 5G, 5G trials and 5G firsts, it comes as no surprise that the big focus for this year’s show was on the next generation of cellular technology.