“Wither knew that everything was lost. It is incredible how little this knowledge moved him. What had been in his far-off youth a merely aesthetic repugnance to realities that were crude or vulgar, had deepened and darkened, year after year, into a fixed refusal of everything that was in any degree other than himself. He had passed from Hegel into Hume, thence through Pragmatism, and thence through logical Positivism, and out at last into the complete void. The indicative mood now corresponded to no thought that his mind could entertain. He had willed with his whole heart that there should be no reality and no truth, and now even the imminence of his own ruin could not wake him.”
― From “That Hideous Strength”, by C.S. Lewis, 1945
THE DATA
In 2013, mobile phone sales decreased for the first time since 2009.
From 2014 to 2015, flip phone sales in the United States increased by 9%, from 22.2 million to 24.2 million.
From the 2nd Quarter of 2015 to the 3rd Quarter of 2015, the 35.3% increase in flip phone sales in India was 43% greater than the 24.7% increase in smartphone sales there during that same time period. The uncredited author from India’s Economic times omitted the percentage, which is an example of the propaganda technique known as “compartmentalization”.
They also didn’t make any mention as to what might have driven the sudden, seismic shift in the mobile phone market in India. That’s an example of the propaganda technique known as “stonewalling”.
From 2016 to 2019, the flip phone’s share of the international mobile phone market increased by 19%, from 21% to 25%.
In 2016, the 396 million flip phones sold comprised 21% of the international mobile phone market.
From 2016 to 2017, the international flip phone market increased by 14%, from 396 million units to 450 million units. In December 2018, nokiamob.com lied bald-facedly and called it a 5% increase. For those keeping score, nokiamob downgraded the increase by 64%, from 14% to 5%. I have exposed their duplicity by using what was known in the old days as “fact checking”.
From 2016 to 2017, the 14% increase in international flip phone sales was 600% greater than the 2% increase in smartphone sales during that same time period. “Stipe”, the curiously-named author from nokiamob.com omitted the stunning percentage, and referred to it only-generally as “grew faster” and “was bigger”.
That’s an example of the propaganda technique known as “compartmentalization”. They didn’t offer any suggestion whatsoever as to what had led to the seismic upheaval in the mobile phone industry. That’s an example of the propaganda technique known as “stonewalling”.
In 2017, 450 million flip phones were shipped internationally.
From 2016 to 2017, the rate of sales for Samsung Galaxy S8 smart phone decreased by 20%.
From 2016 to 2022, international flip phone sales increased by 152%, from 396 million units to 1 billion units.
From the 3rd Quarter of 2017 to the 3rd Quarter of 2018, international flip phone sales increased for four consecutive quarters, while international smartphone sales decreased for four consecutive quarters. Gsmarena.com said “although researchers wouldn’t read too much into it.”
From 2016 to 2017, the smartphones share of the mobile phone market in Africa decreased by 13%, from 44.6% to 39%.
From 2016 to 2017, the flip phone’s share of the mobile phone market in Africa increased by 10%, from 55.4% to 61%.
From 2017 to 2019, Households with mobile service but no smartphones increased by 7%, as readoption of flip phones doubled among households earning over $100K/year.
In 2017, the number of voice calls made on mobile phones in the UK decreased by 1.7% It was the first such decrease since the devices’ inception.
In 2017, international sales of so-called “smart” phones decreased by 0.5%. It was the first such decrease since the smartphone became a recognized product.
In 2017, smartphone sales in Egypt decreased by 50%. Daily News Egypt said the decrease occurred “after flotation”.
In the 1st Quarter of 2017, Samsung’s smartphone sales in China decreased by 50%, to their lowest level in five years.
In the 1st Quarter of 2017, Gartner said that international sales of smartphones increased by 9%.
In the 2nd Quarter of 2017, Apple’s iPhone sales decreased by .78%, year over year. CEO Tim Cook blamed the Apple’s sales drop on “press leaks”.
In May 2017, Apple’s stock decreased by more than 2%.
In the 2nd Quarter of 2017, international smartphone shipments decreased by 1.3%, year-over-year.
In May 2017, doctors in Denver, Colorado sought to ban smartphone sales to preteens.
In the 3rd Quarter of 2017, smartphone sales in Brazil decreased by 2%. IDC.com said the decrease occurred “as consumers save for Black Friday and Christmas”.
In July 2017, sales of the Chinese smartphone makers Oppo and Vivo in India decreased by 30%, year-over-year. It was the first ever decrease for the Indian market.
In the 4th Quarter of 2017, the Indian flip phone market increased by 55%.
In the 4th Quarter of 2017, international sales of so-called “smart” phones decreased by 5.6%, year-over-year. CNBC.com said “Smartphone sales are slowing and here are two key reasons why”. Those reasons being “Consumers are holding on to their phones longer and are also increasingly unimpressed with the frequency and diversity of new models, experts have suggested.”
In October 2017, smartphone use among the young decreased for the first time.
In November 2017, Taiwanese smartphone-maker HTC’s share price decreased by more than 8%. “Google sale report” blamed.
From 2018 to 2022, smartphone sales decreased for five straight years.
From 2018 to 2019, international flip phone sales decreased by 22%, from 457 million units to 374.6 million units.
In 2018, international sales of so-called “smart” phones decreased by 4.1%, to 1.4 billion units total.
In 2018, flip phone sales increased for four consecutive quarters.
In the 1st Quarter of 2018, the Indian flip phone market increased by 197% in the 1st Quarter of 2018 - or nearly tripled - while the smart phone market there remained flat, year-over-year.
In the 3rd Quarter of 2018, international smartphone sales decreased by 6%. IDC.com said “the Leading Vendor and the Largest Market Face Challenges”.
In the 4th Quarter of 2018, international smartphone sales decreased for the fourth straight quarter.
In November 2018, the Dow Jones Industrial Average decreased by 600 points, with Apple leading the tech rout.
From November 1st 2018 to November 12 2018, Apple’s shares decreased by 11.5%.
From 2019 to 2022, the percentage of new smartphone users coming from feature phones decreased by 11.4%, from 6.1% to 5.4%.
From 2019 to 2022, the percentage of new smartphone users coming from feature phones decreased by an annual average of 3.8%.
From 2019 to 2021, international flip phone sales increased by 167%, from 374.6 million units to 1 billion units.
In 2019, international flip phone sales were 374.6 million units.
From 2019 to 2020, international flip phone sales increased by 96%, or doubled, from 374.6 million units to 735 million units.
From 2019 to 2020, the percentage of new smartphone users coming from feature phones decreased by 6.5%, from 6.1% to 5.7%.
In 2019, 48% of Japanese aged 10-19 said they had thought about living without a “smart” phone, the highest percentage among all age groups polled.
In the 1st Quarter of 2019, Apple’s iPhone shipments decreased by 30%, year-over-year.
In the 1st Quarter of 2019, the international smartphone market decreased by 6%, year-over-year, to 310.8 million units.
As of January 2019, flip phones comprised 25% of all phones shipped.
In the 4th Quarter of 2019, international smartphone sales decreased by 9%. It was the largest-ever decrease in smartphone sales since the device’s inception.
In 2020, international sales of so-called “smart” phones decreased by 12.5%.
2020 was the fourth consecutive year of decreasing smartphone sales.
In the 1st Quarter of 2020, smartphone sales decreased by 13%, year-over-year. It was the first time since 2014 that the market had dropped below 300 million units in a quarter.
The 13% decrease in smartphone sales in the 1st Quarter of 2019 was 44% greater than the 9% decrease in smartphone sales in the 4th Quarter of 2019. The decrease in smartphone sales is increasing exponentially, going forward in time. That’ because moral and mental health vary directly with that of the subject’s etheric environment.
CounterpointResearch said that “the impact of COVID-19 on the supply side of smartphones and components could leave OEMs to diversify their supply chain by moving some production to countries like India and Vietnam.”
“The great enemy of clear language is insincerity. When there is a gap between one’s real and one’s declared aims, one turns, as it were, instinctively to long words and exhausted idioms, like a cuttlefish squirting out ink.”
From “Politics and the English Language”, by George Orwell, 1946
In 2020, international flip phone sales were 735 million units.
From 2020 to 2021, international flip phone sales increased by 36%, from 735 million units to 1 billion units.
From 2020 to 2021, the percentage of new smartphone users coming from feature phones decreased by 1.7%, from 5.7% to 5.6%.
In 2021, international flip phone sales were one billion units.
In the 2nd Quarter of 2020, international sales of so-called “smart” phone decreased by 20%. A CNET article from August 2020 said it was “due to coronavirus”.
In the 3rd Quarter of 2020, international smartphone sales decreased by 5.7%, to 366 million units. It was the thirteenth straight quarter of decreasing smart phone sales.
In the 4th Quarter of 2020, international sales of so-called “smart” phones decreased by 5%.
Because there’s literally no quit in these people, a Gartner article from February 2021 is headlined “Gartner Says Worldwide Smartphone Sales to Grow 11% in 2021.”
(Youths wearing surgical masks, heads bent, starting at phones)
From 2021 to 2022, the 3.5% decrease in the percentage of new smartphone users coming from feature phones from 2021 to 2022 was 105% greater, or more than double the 1.7% decrease in same from 2020 to 2021. The India Times’ Subhrojit Mallick said that was because of “affordability and a lack of relevant use cases”.
From 2021 to 2022, smartphone sales in India decreased by 12%. In February 2022, IDC.com said “India’s Smartphone Market Grew by 7% in 2021”.
I have exposed the duplicity of IDC by using what was known in the old days as “fact checking”.
From 2021 to 2022, the percentage of new smartphone users coming from feature phones decreased by 3.5%, from 5.6% to 5.4%.
From 2021 to 2022, international smartphone sales decreased by 1.7%.
In the 1st Quarter of 2021, smartphone sales in India decreased by 13%. Canalys.com said it was “due to the second wave of COVID-19, which stifled demand”.
From the 1st Quarter to the 2nd Quarter of 2021, international smartphone sales decreased by 8.9%.
In the 1st Quarter of 2021, Gartner said that international smartphone sales increased by 26%, year-over-year.
In the 2nd Quarter of 2021, Gartner said that international smartphone sales increased by 10.8%, year-over-year.
In May 2021, Gartner said that international smartphone sales in 2021 increased by 6%.
In the second half of 2021, international smartphone sales volumes decreased by 5%.
In the 2nd Quarter of 2021, international smartphone sales to end-users decreased by 6.8%, year-over-year. Gartner said it was because “the current shortage of components, such as radio frequency and power management integrated circuits, delayed smartphone production globally.”
In the second half of 2021, IDC said that international smartphone sales decreased by 5%, year-over-year. Idc.com hedged it by 10% with “failed to meet expectations with volumes declining 4.5%”.
In July 2021, gartner.com lied bald-facedly and said “Gartner Says Worldwide Smartphone Sales Grew 26% in First Quarter of 2021”. I have exposed their duplicity by using what was known in the old days as fact checking”.
In the 3rd Quarter of 2021, international smartphone sales decreased by 6.8%. Datamation.com referred to the the gigantic decrease as “meaningful impact”, and attributed it to “component shortages”.
In the 4th Quarter of 2021, international smartphone sales decreased by 3.2%, year-over-year. tvtechnology.com said “Supply chain issues and factory constraints hurt smartphone sales in Q4 but full year 2021 sales rose by 5%, according to Strategy Analytics, with 3% sales growth expected for 2022”.
TV Technology is lying bald-fadedly, in that international smartphone sales decreased by 1.7% from 2021 to 2022. For those keeping score, taking a 1.7 percent decrease and fraudulently claiming it as a 5% increase is a 394% exaggeration on the part of TV Technology, which exaggeration was passed on faithfully by Counterpoint Research.
I have exposed their duplicity by using what was known in the old days as “fact checking”.
In September 2021, garnter.com said “Global smartphone sales to end users totaled 328.8 million in the second quarter of 2021, an increase of 10.8% year over year’. When, in fact, international smartphone sales to end-users decreased by 6.8% in the 2nd Quarter of 2021. I have once again exposed the duplicity of Gartner by using what was known in the old days as “fact checking”.
For those keeping score, Gartner has smartphone sales up 36.8% through the second quarter of 2021.
In the 4th Quarter of 2021, Apple’s market share decreased by 9.8%, from 44.6% to 40.2%. Canalys described it as “iPads ruled the tablet market. Apple dominated the tablet market share with more than 19 million shipments.”
In the 4th Quarter of 2021, international smartphone sales decreased by 3.2%. IDC.com referred to the decrease as “negative growth”, and said that it was “slight”, and that it was because of “supply chain and component shortages”.
If it’s true that smartphone sales decreased by 4.5% in the second half of 2022, like IDC said, then the 3.2% decrease in the 4th Quarter would leave just a 1.8% decrease in the 3rd Quarter, right? Yet the actual decrease was 6.7%. I’ve just exposed IDC’s “volumes declining by 4.5%” bald-faced lie by using what was known in the old days as “fact checking”.
In the 1st Quarter of 2022, international smartphone sales decreased by 6%, year-over-year.
From April 2022 to May 2022, international smartphone sales decreased by 4%.
In May 2022, international smartphone sales decreased by 10%, year-over-year. It was the 11th consecutive month of year-over-year sales decreases.
Counterpointresearch.com’s Varun Mishra called it a “demand slump”, and attributed it to “inflation, China’s slowdown, and the Ukraine crisis”.
In the 3rd Quarter of 2021, smartphone sales in India decreased by 12%. Cnbc.com called it “a strong comeback”.
I have exposed the duplicity of cnbc.com by using what was known in the old days as “fact checking”.
In June 2022, idc.com said “Global Smartphone Shipments Expected to Decline 3.5% in 2022, Amidst Global Uncertainty and Weaker Demand, According to IDC”.
In the 3rd Quarter of 2022, sales in Corning’s displays technologies division decreased by 28%.
In the 3rd Quarter of 2022, smartphone sales decreased by 14%, year-over-year.
The 3rd Quarter of 2022 was the lowest quarter for smartphone sales in history.
On December 19, 2022, economictimes.indiatimes.com said “Feature-to-smartphone switch may pick up in 2023”.
THE ARTICLES
In May 2022, the New York Times asked “Why Isn’t New Technology Making Us More Productive ?”
In September 2022, mit.edu said “Facebook access leads to more anxiety and depression”.
Author Dylan Walsh went on to say "When Facebook began, access was restricted to people with a Harvard email address. Less than a month later, the website had expanded to Columbia, Stanford, and Yale. This progressive opening continued until September of 2006, when anybody over 13 years old was able to create an account.
“We were able to use the fact that Facebook rolled out at different universities at different times, together with the fact that we have this huge survey already conducted at universities, to understand the causal impact of Facebook on student mental health,” Makarin said.
Most broadly, the researchers found a sizable increase in the number of students who reported mental distress at some time in the preceding year. College-wide access to Facebook led to an increase in severe depression by 7% and anxiety disorder by 20%. Beyond these results, a greater percentage of the most susceptible students also treated symptoms with either psychotherapy or antidepressants. In total, the negative effect of Facebook on mental health appeared to be roughly 20% the magnitude of what is experienced by those who lose their job."
He’s bravely playing the ruse that it’s one particular application that’s causing the problems, and the problems are behavioral, versus the truth, that they are mechanical.
Suicidal ideation increases with technology use, and it was the time spent on the device, not the content, that mattered most.
In August 2022, power-technology.com said “Filings buzz in the power industry: 44% decrease in artificial intelligence mentions in Q2 of 2022”.
FLIP PHONE SALES ARE INCREASING HYPER-EXPONENTIALLY
On July 13, 2022, dai-global-digital.com said “Embracing the Unlikely Resilience of Feature Phones”.
Where author Anand Varghese used pure Black magic to call the actual resilience of Flip Phones “unlikely”.
Unlikely - adjective - not likely to happen, be done, or be true; improbable
The words “mystery”, “baffled” and “puzzled” are memes, used, among numerous similar variants, whenever anyone in the wholly-controlled-and-coopted Political, Academic, Scientific and Media establishments wants to lie about, well, basically anything. Two of those many variants are “interesting” and “unexpected”. That’s why the article goes on to say:
“Most of us in the development sector have been preparing for aninevitable and imminent smartphone future. But in a recent article, the BBC highlighted an interesting—if somewhat unexpected—phenomenon in the world of digital devices: the “return of the dumbphones” (we prefer the less pejorative term “feature phones,” which we use in this piece).”
The first rule of politics is “deny, deny, deny”. That’s why the article goes on to say “While sales figures are hard to come by, one report said that global purchases of [feature phones] were due to hit one billion units last year, up from 400 million in 2019. This compares to worldwide sales of 1.4 billion smartphones last year, following a 12.5 percent decline in 2020.” Some might argue that the feature phone has never really gone away."
I’m sure that you notice how Anand provided the numbers, but carefully withheld the far more impactful percentage increase between them. That’s an example of the propaganda technique known as “compartmentalization”.
So, I had to do the math to learn that, from 2019 to 2022, international Flip Phone sales increased by 2,400%, from 400 million to one billion.
Anand used “has never really gone away” as Mil-speak to describe a product whose sales are increasing hyper-exponentially.
Magnificently, Anand has this buried deep in the article, directly in the face of exponentially decreasing smartphone sales: “More feature phones don’t necessarily mean fewer smartphones.”
That’s because the first rule of politics is “deny, deny, deny”.
SMARTPHONE SALES ARE DECREASING EXPONENTIALLY
On October 19, 2022, theregister.com said “Global smartphone sales come tumbling down as reality bites”.
The subhead goes on to bravely lie “Inflation and energy prices force consumers to prioritize household bills over shiny electronic devices”.
“Shiny electronic devices”, wait, what? I thought smartphones were the most important and crucial invention in the history of humankind? The one invention that everyone on Earth simply cannot do without?
The hit-piece goes on to say “According to preliminary data collated by Canalys, sales into the channel – retailers and distributors – plunged by 9 per cent year-on-year to an estimated 296.21 million handsets.”
In the 3rd Quarter of 2019, Canalys said that international sales of smartphone decreased by 9%.
On October 25, 2022, 9to5mac.com said "Corning, the Apple supplier that makes glass for the iPhone, says that it has seen weaker-than-expected demand for smartphones. The company is now forecasting that smartphone sales will be down 12% in 2022 compared to 2021.
Where “has seen weaker-than-expected demand” walks in back a step from Corning actually experiencing it.
The article goes on to say “For the quarter ending in September, however, Corning says that it saw a decline in smartphone unit sales of 14% on an annual basis. Demand for tablets and notebooks is also down, according to Corning, with a 17% decline. In total, Corning’s “displays technologies” division was down 28% in terms of sales.”
Where “saw a decline in smartphone unit sales” walks it back a step from Corning actually experiencing it.
There’s a strict rule in journalism, where you list the highest number or percentage first, and then the rest in descending order. Here, author Chance Miller Satanically inverted it, leading with a 14% decrease, and following it with decreases of 17% and 28%.
In the 3rd Quarter of 2022, sales in Corning’s displays technologies division decreased by 28%.
In the 3rd Quarter of 2022, tablet and notebook sales decreased by 17%, year over year.
In the 3rd Quarter of 2022, smartphone sales decreased by 14%, year-over-year.
Jeff Miller, Libertyville, IL, November 2, 2022
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