According to the GSMA Intelligence's latest analysis of the digital consumer market in 2023, there are five trends worthy of attention.
It is estimated that 5G mobile network services may be launched in 30 new markets in 2023, Many of them will be potential markets in Africa and Asia, making 5G technology become a truly global trend. The number of 5G users is expected to increase from 1 billion to 1.5 billion by the end of this year, and it will be imperative to achieve profitability.
The value of smartphones is increasingly reflected in two areas beyond the phone itself. One is using the smartphone as the central console for other devices, and the other is its application in digital entertainment. These are the keys to the new value for smartphones.
2023 is still the most noteworthy turning point for eSIM technolgy. In September 2022, Apple launched an iPhone that only supports eSIM, which is an important milestone for the industry. GSMA expects operators and OEM will do more work to improve consumers' awareness of eSIM, and the adoption of eSIM will eventually accelerate.
With the launch of 5G and fiber-optic networks, and the increased participation in smartphone games, the artificial intelligence (AI) and blockchain are increasingly used in game sector, which will drive the development of cloud gaming.
In order to increase VR adoption, the content development of XR and Metaverse needs to keep pace, as seen with the latest release of the Meta Quest Pro series of premium XR headsets. Regarding the content development that will appear in 2023, the focus is on the development and practicality of games, videos, and music.
