The landscape for mobile phone accessories has changed in recent years through the introduction of 5G technology and more sustainable materials. Mobile phone cases are among the most prized accessories in the market due to their customizability and importance to protecting mobile phones. What trends should you look out for in manufacturing the latest mobile phone cases?
Rising Mobile Phone Trends Defining the Accessories Market
A key growth driver is rapid urbanization that brings in younger populations and leads to increased spending ability among consumers. Thus we see a growing need for mobile phones and, in turn, mobile phone accessories to be distributed in the market. Nowadays, consumers are looking for more convenience, and mobile phone accessories minimize their daily hassles by further simplifying mobile phone operations and usage.
Future Market Insights sees high demand for various mobile phone accessories. The demand for protective cases, for example, has been the highest and is expected to surge during the period between 2021 and 2031, according to Unite. As such, companies should consider what customers look for in their products. We can narrow it down to five trends: sustainability, adaptability, multifunctionality, compact design, and advanced protection.
Mobile Phone Accessory Niches
Phone accessories come in diverse categories, namely, chargers, headphones, screen protectors, power banks, cables, batteries, memory cards, stands, speakers and protective cases.
Grand View Research notes the prominence of protective cases and headphones in the US market. Meanwhile Future Market Insights brings up the prominence of wireless chargers, with a projected compound annual growth rate (CARG) of 6.4%, drawn from growing concerns over battery life constantly affected by regular and growing internet usage.
This is followed up by headsets, which have become more and more complex due to the demand of sports enthusiasts and the youth for more compact headphones for outdoor usage. This also translates to a greater demand for unconditional connectors and even wireless Bluetooth-connected headphones.
Although mobile phone case trends are mostly on aesthetics, there are also growing considerations into their sustainability.
The underlying trend connecting all mobile phone accessory developments is the growing sophistication and complexity of newer mobile phone models to adapt to greater internet and battery usage, as well as perform more and more functions optimally.
How Mobile Phone Cases Adapt to Wireless Technology
The rise of 5G technology has led to faster data transmissions and increased convenience in daily life, whether it is in the surge of earbuds and Bluetooth speakers or the introduction of wireless chargers for Airpods and other devices by Tesla in 2022. This makes mobile phone cases an afterthought compared to headsets, batteries and chargers that express 5G technology’s limitless convenience.
That is, until, we consider the continued battery usage associated with regular and uninterrupted internet usage. With internet use becoming a daily routine inside and outside the home, mobile phones continue to exert much heat and can be easily damaged without protection. Customers would consider the heat absorbent capabilities of a mobile phone case as they contribute to improving the overall lifespan and health of a mobile phone or any wireless device. MagSafe phone cases for iPhones support wireless charging by aligning its built-in magnets to the wireless charger for more efficient power transfer.
The Search for Sustainable Mobile Phone Cases
While adaptability is everything in the age of fast-paced competition and wireless communication, there is a growing concern among customers over whether or not their mobile phone cases might bring harm to the environment. To alleviate this concern, many companies have stepped up to not only recycle plastics and reduce the need to make or acquire more but also use natural, sustainable materials to pave the way for eco-friendly mobile phone case production.
Common materials for eco-friendly phones include bamboo, biopolymers, recycled plastics, and starch, which come with their own advantages. Bamboo mobile phone cases are trending due to their immense durability.
Leading the trend in creating the latest eco-friendly mobile phone cases include Funshare, Casetify, Engraver’s Dungeon, Wave, MMore, and Pela. We directly avoid materials containing PVC and BPA, which harm both human health and the environment. Beyond materials, we also reduce energy and water consumption and are mindful of waste.
Beyond Decoration and Protection: Compact Mobile Phone Cases for AR Applications
New developments offer new challenges for accessories to adjust to the current trends. The desire for convenience bolsters creativity, such as the production of wearable phone cases that are waterproof, durable, compact and eye-catching all at once.
With the invention of augmented reality (AR) headsets and similar devices, considerations have been made to how mobile phone cases have been constructed. Along with avoiding aluminum and thick mobile phone cases, companies should aim to design cases that offer better heat dissipation to ensure stable performance when phones use AR applications for extended periods.
The most exciting update comes from design house Gihawoo Design’s development of the Porket VR headset phone case. Rather than being separate devices, the VR headset fuses with the phone case to make the device more compact and easy to bring around for travel needs. This also makes the device easier to use for most customers who are learning about the new technology. With their compact design and light weight, such VR headset phone cases can be readily integrated into regular use.
Where Can We Take Mobile Phone Case Development?
More phones and users also compel brands to make their products more recyclable while also ensuring their long-term durability. The rise of 5G technology continues to motivate the production of more updated accessories that can keep up with the more complex requirements in newer mobile phone models. Because of these trends, brands must make updated mobile phone accessories more accessible to the broader market, including mobile phone cases that are multifunctional and not just aesthetically-pleasing choices.
