Market research firm IDC said Tuesday that global smartphone shipments declined 0.5% in 2017, but it predicts that shipments will return to growth in 2018 and beyond. Shipments in China dropped 5%, while U.S. shipments were near flat. Apple Inc. iPhone shipments grew 0.2% in 2017 after posting a decline the prior year, according to IDC data, and the company is making up for that slow growth through higher selling prices for its devices. IDC sees iPhone volumes growing at a 2.4% annual rate through 2022. Average selling prices for phones running Alphabet Inc.’s Android software grew for the first time since 2010, IDC added, mainly because the cheapest players moved toward “mid-tier pricing.” Alphabet shares are up 35% over the past 12 months, while Apple shares have gained 31%. The S&P 500 Index is up 17% in that time, while the Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 23%.
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