Dubai
New technologies such as wireless charging and USB Type-C cables are going to fuel the mobile accessories market in the near future, said an industry expert.
“With the launch of wireless charging technology by Apple, the demand has taken off. Whenever Apple launches a new technology, there will be an immediate spike in accessories sale. There will be more use cases to support wireless charging technology in the coming years,” Steve Malony, general manager and vice-president of Belkin International, told Gulf News.
He said the accessories market is growing at a strong pace.
“Middle East is growing faster than rest of the world with the UAE really leading the pace. Within the EMEA, Middle East has got into top five in revenue respective, with the UAE contributing 50 per cent,” he said.
The US and the UK are the top markets for Belkin.
Apple’s wireless charging technology is based on Qi ecosystem, including two new charging mats from Belkin and Mophie.
Apple is also planning to launch its AirPower, a wireless charging pad to simultaneously charge up to three devices, including iPhone, Watch and AirPods at the same time.
When asked how AirPower is going to impact Belkin’s business when it launches next year, Malony said that it is good and will help fuel the market.
“We will also have our own version of multi-devices charging pods. We will see more innovations in docking, Apple watch straps and screen protections,” he said.
Even though PC sales are falling globally, Belkin official sees a strong uptake for accessories from the education space.
There are many accessories manufactures, both premium and cheap, and now many smartphone manufacturers are also launching new accessories to get a pie of this highly lucrative market as smartphone margins have come under pressure, expect Apple.
Nicoletta Laffi, managing director for South Europe at Belkin, said that there is still room for growth as people are looking for quality products.
“Adoption of mobile devices by tech-savvy youth is significantly contributing to growth in demand for mobile phone accessories as they look for premium and designer products,” she said.
Laffi said that growth is mainly going to come from Apple Watch, premium charging solutions, cables, USB Type-C solutions and screen protectors.
She said that implementation of USB Type-C technology means an improvement in the capabilities of everyday devices like smartphones, tablets, and laptops. All USB-C cables have a reversible design, which means that users can seamlessly plug their USB-C cable into the UBS-C port without worrying about the orientation or direction of the plug.
Belkin has been working with Apple since 1993 and is the number one partner in developing accessories for Apple products mainly and with other brands.
According to Future Market Insights, the global mobile phone accessories market is expected to reach $121.72 billion (Dh446.7 billion) by 2025 due to strong demand for protective covers and power banks.
Laffi expects that Belkin has more room to conquer in the smartphone segments.
