eMarketer predicts that there will be nearly 70 million broadband households in the US in 2008 -- "Convergence, once only a futuristic dream, is a growing reality in homes across the continent, and it is changing the character � product offerings and competitive alignment � of some of the most powerful corporations in North America. The broadband market is no longer about only high-speed Internet access, says Ben Macklin, eMarketer Senior Analyst and author of the report. A new market is being created, including voice and video � a market worth nearly ten times the value of the Internet access business alone."
The global smartphone market closed 2025 with a story less about recovery and more about transformation. Premium product, ecosystem lock-in, and manufacturing scale are now the forces shaping competition. For business and technology leaders, the latest IDC market study data confirms that smartphones remain a critical indicator of consumer demand, supply chain health, and AI commercialization at the edge. Smartphone Market Development Global smartphone shipments grew 2.3 percent year-over-year in Q4 2025, reaching 336.3 million units and bringing full-year volumes to 1.26 billion units — a modest 1.9 percent annual increase, according to IDC. This smartphone growth emerged despite a memory shortage crisis, tariff volatility, supply chain disruption, and macroeconomic headwinds. What stabilized demand? Two factors: sustained growth in premium devices and strong foldable momentum, combined with accelerated purchases as consumers bought ahead of anticipated price increases. Buyers weren...