Share of new Samsung, Huawei, LG and Xiaomi smartphones with USB-C charger 2015-2019

In 2019, 68 percent of new smartphone models released by Samsung, Huawei, LG and Xiaomi were capable of being charged with USB-C, an increase from the 45 percent of smartphone models from these vendors that came with a USB-C socket in 2018. In 2015, just five percent of smartphone models released by these vendors were capable of being charged with USB-C.

Market forecast

In 2019, 33 percent of non-Apple smartphones were capable of being charged with USB-C. Forecasts predict that this is likely to rise to 46 percent by 2020, before jumping again in 2021 up to 62 percent. Beyond 2022, there is a margin of uncertainty, with some predictions suggesting that USB-C charging will account for 100 percent of non-Apple smartphones by 2025, while others believe that there will remain a market for smartphones using micro-USB, particularly those toward the lower end of the price spectrum.

European market

It is worthwhile noting that European consumers tend to opt for higher-end models: more expensive devices which are more likely to come with USB-C charging capabilities. In addition to this, European consumers often have more than one active SIM, or multiple mobile devices. As a result, smartphone and mobile device owners are more inclined to have the same charging solution on all devices, therefore suggesting USB-C penetration is likely to be higher across European markets.