2018 predictions: Bullitt Group chief branding officer Charlie Henderson

Bullitt Group chief branding officer Charlie Henderson predicts a rise in demand for robust and durable phones 

As mainstream smartphone manufacturers increasingly focus on producing thin, bezel-less devices that are susceptible to breakage, there will also be a corresponding growth in demand for more robust, durable products.

This trend is likely to be compounded by the advent of new complex form factors, such as foldable displays.

Significant groups of consumers and businesses, frustrated by ongoing phone damage and the increasing expense of repair or replacement, will place increased importance on ‘total cost of ownership’ metrics when choosing smartphones.

There will be greater attempts to ‘life proof’ mainstream handsets, but the true rugged sector will also continue to grow, fuelled further by innovation, intelligent use of sensors, and the addition of highly relevant hardware and software features for target customers.

In 2018, this disruption results in a range of unexpected cross-sector acquisitions led by the mobile sector.