Technology & Telecommunications

The technology and telecommunications industry is a rapidly evolving and dynamic sector that is transforming the way we communicate and interact with each other, and access and share information. Tech devices and infrastructure are becoming smarter and more connected, supported by emerging technologies, such as artificial intelligence and the Internet of Things. Digital transformation within businesses and the wider economy is being supported by advancements in IT service provision, notably the adoption of cloud computing, machine learning, and big data analytics.

Some of the most innovative and recognizable companies in the world, such as Apple, Microsoft, Nvidia, Google, TSMC, AT&T, Verizon, and Vodafone operate in the industry. Fierce competition exists between firms as they look to maintain their lead in the market, as well as continuing to develop innovative products and services. As a result, many of the sector's leading firms are among the world's most influential.

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  • Information technology (IT) spending worldwide from 2012 to 2024, by segment (in billion U.S. dollars)
    Jul 16, 2024

    The global information technology (IT) spending on devices, including PCs, tablets, mobile phones, printers, as well as data center systems, software, and communications services came to 4.9 trillion U.S. dollars in 2023. By 2024, IT spending is expected to increase to a staggering 5.3 trillion dollars worldwide. 

    IT services and communication services take the largest share of spending

    Both IT services and communication services receive the largest amounts of investments, as these segments include a large array of different services and tools that remain cornerstones to different business functions. For example, different unified communication services are vital to connecting employees virtually and therefore enhance business productivity.

    Spending on IT segments accelerates digital transformation

    In general, spending on the different IT segments is expected to grow, accelerating digital transformation across various industries. Digital transformation encompasses the utilization of artificial intelligence, process automation, and moving data to the cloud, for example. These processes are empowered by strategic spending on and deployment of different information technologies.

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  • Global smartphone market share from 4th quarter 2009 to 2nd quarter 2024, by vendor
    Jul 14, 2024

    Samsung held the largest slice of the global smartphone market by shipments during the second quarter of 2024, followed by Apple. Xiaomi has taken a tight grip on the third position, accounting for a market share of almost 15 percent in the s econd quarter of 2024. 

    Samsung and Apple smartphone sales

    Smartphone vendors have been suffering from the events of the past couple of years, including the pandemic and the economic downturn. However, they all appear to be recovering, as shown by the recent increase in shipments. For instance, mostly based on the main line of Galaxy Series, Samsung's smartphone shipments totaled nearly 226.5 million units globally in 2023.

    Next to Samsung, Apple is a major manufacturer of smartphones worldwide, with the company shipping more than 232 million iPhones worldwide in 2023 - a number that made Apple leading smartphone vendor for the first time ever. Apple’s sales tend to be very cyclical, peaking in the fourth quarter each year, much like in the fourth quarter of 2023, when they took the first spot in terms of units shipped globally with around 80.5 units.

    Huawei falls outside the leading five vendors

    While Apple and Samsung are typically the two major companies challenging for the top spot, Huawei had provided a strong challenge in recent years. Particularly, the Chinese company managed to climb the smartphone market ladder between 2011 and 2020, recording shipments of over 32 million smartphones in the fourth quarter of 2020. However, strong performances from rivals like Xiaomi and the effects of the U.S. trade ban have since seen Huawei fall outside the list of top five vendors by smartphone shipments.

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  • Extended reality (XR) market size worldwide from 2021 to 2026 (in billion U.S. dollars)
    Mar 9, 2023

    The global extended reality (XR) market that includes augmented reality (AR), virtual reality (VR), and mixed reality (MR) reached 29.26 billion U.S. dollars in 2022, rising to over 100 billion U.S. dollars by 2026.

    Augmented reality (AR) Augmented reality (AR) technology integrates digital information with the physical environment, live and in real-time. Through the addition of graphics, sounds, haptic feedback, or even smell to the natural world as it exists, AR can combine real life with a super-imposed image or animation using the camera on a mobile device or AR headset. As part of the wider extended reality (XR) industry, the global AR market size is expected to grow considerably in the coming years.

    Metaverse Regarded as the next iteration of the internet, the metaverse is where the physical and digital worlds come together. As an evolution of social technologies, the metaverse allows digital representations of people, avatars, to interact with each other in a variety of settings. Whether it be at work, in an office, going to concerts or sports events, or even trying on clothes, the metaverse provides a space for endless, interconnected virtual communities using virtual reality (VR) headsets, AR glasses, smartphone apps, or other devices.

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  • Personal computer (PC) vendor shipments worldwide from 2009 to 2023, by quarter (in million units)
    Jan 10, 2024

    Lenovo shipped 16.21 million personal computers during the fourth quarter of 2023, surpassing HP's 13.95 million shipments in that same quarter and retaining its position as market leader. Dell occupies the third place on the list, shipping nearly 10 million PCs. There is a growing trend of consolidation, with HP, Lenovo, and Dell taking up an increasing PC market share.

    Vendors shifting away from traditional PCs The nature of the PC market is changing, as many vendors are gravitating towards the expanding software industry. A predominate adaptation strategy is to incorporate new technologies into the PC experience. For example, Dell Technologies, which has a market share of around 15 to 20 percent, is prioritizing enterprise software and cloud solutions, and a new direction for its PC design by including virtual and artificial intelligence technologies into Dell Workstations. HP is responding to the changing market environment by focusing on developing its product line of premium devices for gaming ecosystems. Lenovo’s response has been developing devices specifically for corporate use, as well as integrating virtual reality headsets into their line of computers.

    Changing nature of personal computing The type of computing hardware preferred by consumers has shifted significantly, as portable devices become more durable, more capable, and more affordable. Desktop-PCs – once a must for any user that intended to purposefully use their device for work or play – are the biggest victim of this shift. In 2010, desktop PC shipments reached 157 million units, a figure that is expected to fall to 70 million by 2025. Tablets have filled the hole left by declining PC sales, rising from 19 million units shipped in 2010, to an expected 140 million in 2025.

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  • Market share of mobile operating systems worldwide from 2009 to 2024, by quarter
    Sep 23, 2024

    Android maintained its position as the leading mobile operating system worldwide in the second quarter of 2024 with a market share of about 71.65 percent. Android's closest rival, Apple's iOS, had a market share of approximately 27.62 percent during the same period. 

    The leading mobile operating systems

    Both unveiled in 2007, Google’s Android and Apple’s iOS have evolved through incremental updates introducing new features and capabilities. The latest version of iOS, iOS 17, was released in September 2023, while the most recent Android iteration, Android 14, was made available in October 2023. A key difference between the two systems concerns hardware - iOS is only available on Apple devices, whereas Android ships with devices from a range of manufacturers such as Samsung, Google and OnePlus. In addition, Apple has had far greater success in bringing its users up to date. As of February 2024, 66 percent of iOS users had iOS 17 installed, while in the same month only 13 percent of Android users ran the latest version.

    The rise of the smartphone

    From around 2010, the touchscreen smartphone revolution had a major impact on sales of basic feature phones, as the sales of smartphones increased from 139 million units in 2008 to 1.39 billion units in 2023. In 2020, smartphone sales decreased to 1.38 billion units due to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. Apple, Samsung, and lately also Xiaomi, were the big winners in this shift towards smartphones, with BlackBerry and Nokia among those unable to capitalize.

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  • Semiconductor market revenue worldwide from 1987 to 2025 (in billion U.S. dollars)
    Jun 4, 2024

    In 2024, semiconductor sales were expected to reach 611.23 billion U.S. dollars worldwide. Semiconductors are crucial components of electronics devices and the industry is highly competitive. The year-on-year decline rate in 2023 equated to 9.4 percent, although a swift recovery is expected in 2024 with growth of 16 percent.

    Semiconductor market A semiconductor is a substance that conducts electricity under some but not all circumstances. Manufacturers are able to customize the conductivity of a semiconductor, such as introducing a sensitivity to heat or light, or altering conductivity based on the direction of the current. Semiconductors are an important component of many commonly used electronic devices including smartphones, tablets, and PCs. Notable semiconductor chip makers include Intel and Samsung Electronics, with Intel generating 48.7 billion U.S. dollars and Samsung generating 39.9 billion U.S. dollars in semiconductor revenue in 2023, placing them among the largest companies in terms of semiconductor industry revenues.

    Market opportunities Smartphones are expected to command an important part of the semiconductor market going forward, especially as these devices become more advanced and able to support technologies such as augmented reality, virtual reality, 5G, and artificial intelligence. ​Semiconductors for use in servers and data centers are set to become an even more important opportunity, with semiconductor innovation required to support cloud data centers and the rise in edge computing.

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  • Number of Internet of Things (IoT) connections worldwide from 2022 to 2023, with forecasts from 2024 to 2033 (in billions)
    Jun 7, 2024

    The number of Internet of Things (IoT) devices worldwide is forecast to almost double from 15.9 billion in 2023 to more than 32.1 billion IoT devices in 2030. In 2033, the highest number of IoT devices will be found in China, with around 8 billion consumer devices. 
    IoT devices are used in all types of industry verticals and consumer markets, with the consumer segment accounting for around 60 percent of all IoT or connected devices in 2023. This share is projected to stay at this level over the next ten years. 

    Major verticals and use cases

    Major industry verticals with currently more than 100 million connected IoT devices are electricity, gas, steam & A/C, water supply & waste management, retail & wholesale, transportation & storage, and government. Overall, the number of IoT devices across all industry verticals is forecast to grow to more than eight billion by 2033.

    Major use-cases

    The most important use case for IoT devices in the consumer segment are consumer internet & media devices such as smartphones, where the number of IoT devices is forecast to grow to more than 17 billion by 2033. Other use cases with more than one billion IoT devices by 2033 are connected (autonomous) vehicles, IT infrastructure, asset tracking & monitoring, and smart grid.

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  • Cloud infrastructure services vendor market share worldwide from fourth quarter 2017 to first quarter 2024
    May 16, 2024

    In the first quarter of 2024, the most popular vendor in the cloud infrastructure services market, Amazon Web Services (AWS), controlled 31 percent of the entire market. Microsoft Azure takes second place with 25 percent market share, followed by Google Cloud with 10 percent market share. Together, these three cloud vendors account for 66 percent of total spend in the first quarter of 2024. Organizations use cloud services from these vendors for machine learning, data analytics, cloud native development, application migration, and other services. 

    AWS Services

    Amazon Web Services is used by many organizations because it offers a wide variety of services and products to its customers that improve business agility while being secure and reliable. One of AWS’s most used services is Amazon EC2, which lets customers create virtual machines for their strategic projects while spending less time on maintaining servers. Another important service is Amazon Simple Storage Service (S3), which offers a secure file storage service. In addition, Amazon also offers security, website infrastructure management, and identity and access management solutions.

    Cloud infrastructure services

    Vendors offering cloud services to a global customer base do so through different types of cloud computing, which include infrastructure as a service (IaaS), platform as a service (PaaS), and software as a service (SaaS). Further, there are different cloud computing deployment models available for customers, namely private cloud and public cloud, as well as community cloud and hybrid cloud. A cloud deployment model is defined based on the location where the deployment resides, and who has access to and control over the infrastructure.

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  • Artificial intelligence (AI) market size worldwide from 2020 to 2030 (in billion U.S. dollars)
    Jun 18, 2024

    The market for artificial intelligence grew beyond 184 billion U.S. dollars in 2024, a considerable jump of nearly 50 billion compared to 2023. This staggering growth is expected to continue with the market racing past 826 billion U.S. dollars in 2030.

    AI demands data

    Data management remains the most difficult task of AI-related infrastructure. This challenge takes many forms for AI companies. Some require more specific data, while others have difficulty maintaining and organizing the data their enterprise already possesses. Large international bodies like the EU, the US, and China all have limitations on how much data can be stored outside their borders. Together these bodies pose significant challenges to data-hungry AI companies.

    AI could boost productivity growth

    Both in productivity and labor changes, the U.S. is likely to be heavily impacted by the adoption of AI. This impact need not be purely negative. Labor rotation, if handled correctly, can swiftly move workers to more productive and value-added industries rather than simple manual labor ones. In turn, these industry shifts will lead to a more productive economy. Indeed, AI could boost U.S. labor productivity growth over a 10-year period. This, of course, depends on a variety of factors, such as how powerful the next generation of AI is, the difficulty of tasks it will be able to perform, and the number of workers displaced.

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  • Generative artificial intelligence (AI) revenue worldwide from 2020 with forecast until 2032 (in billion U.S. dollars)
    Mar 8, 2024

    The generative artificial intelligence (AI) market is expected to rise significantly, from 11 billion U.S. dollars in 2020 to nearly 128 billion U.S. dollars in 2024 and more than 1.3 trillion U.S. dollars in 2032. This is due to an explosion of generative AI tools in recent years such as Bard by Google, ChatGPT by OpenAI, and Midjourney by Midjourney, Inc.

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Industry Definition

The broader technology and telecommunications industry can be divided into six sub-industries: consumer electronics, hardware, household appliances, IT services, software, and telecommunications. Alongside these market segments, Statista also has a focus on key trends and emerging technologies such as AI, cloud computing, the Internet of Things, and extended reality – technologies that are helping to drive innovation.

Statista provides information on spending within the overall technology and telecommunications industry and its market segments, both on a global and regional scale. Additionally, the financial metrics and market share of the major players within the relevant market segments are also covered, together with data on the application and usage of technology and telecommunications services.

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