AI-Powered Smartphones Dominate Market Growth

Over the past year, major smartphone makers have significantly integrated AI into their devices. Samsung’s Galaxy S24 and Google’s Pixel 8 prominently feature AI advancements, and Apple’s iPhone 16 series is anticipated to follow with Apple Intelligence. A report from IDC forecasts that shipments of AI-enabled smartphones (those with SoCs capable of running on-device generative AI models) will reach 234 million units by the end of the year, a 364% increase from the previous year. By 2028, AI-enabled smartphones are expected to dominate the market, with projected shipments hitting 912 million units annually.
Experts predict a shift towards an “app-less” world where generative AI could render traditional apps obsolete by using contextual data to assist users directly. AI features already available, like Samsung’s real-time voice translation and Google’s conversation summaries, hint at this future. Apple Intelligence is also expected to bring major AI-driven features, including a more conversational Siri and the ability to perform in-app actions across multiple applications. This evolution towards smarter, voice-operated devices could drive significant consumer demand for new AI-powered phones.