Mobile Phone Protective Cover Market Size, Market Research and Industry Forecast Report, 2019-2025 (Includes Business Impact of COVID-19)

                                          
Industry Insights, Market Size, CAGR, High-Level Analysis: Mobile Phone Protective Cover Market


The global mobile phone protective cover market size was valued at USD 21.4 billion in 2018, registering a 7.5% CAGR during the forecast period. Increasing penetration of smartphones across the globe is the main factor driving demand for protective cases. Repairing a cracked or damaged phone screen can be rather expensive and this is a key factor propelling the need for protective mobile phone covers. Buyers are willing to spend on quality protective cases with advanced features to ensure little-to-no damage to their devices.

The market for mobile accessories is heavily influenced not just by consumer requirements and specifications, but also by evolving lifestyle trends. A phone protective cover, generic or customized, is often a means of making a statement and reflects a persons social and cultural preferences. Factors such as social media trends, favorite personalities, quotes, movies, books, and television series, social causes, and music preferences play a key role when it comes to choosing a protective cover for ones phone. Manufacturers take such factors into account and keep their products relevant and up-to-date in order to attract a larger customer base.

With smartphones becoming an essential part of ones daily life, an increasing number of features are now being incorporated into the mobile phones itself - music, television, shopping, games, etc. This has driven the sales of mobile phones in recent years. For instance, according to a joint study by the Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry of India (ASSOCHAM) and PwC, the number of smartphone users in India is expected to reach 859 million by 2022, rising from 468 million users in 2017. Surge in sales of mobile phones has a direct positive impact on the demand for various accessories, including protective covers.

Increasing competition among players and decreasing prices of smartphones have also widened the customer base. Moreover, a booming e-commerce sector has played a crucial role in providing cheaper and varied mobile accessories, including protective covers, with a plethora of features, designs, and graphics. Capitalizing on soaring smartphone markets across emerging economies, players have been setting up online portals that offer various mobile phone accessories at the click of a button.

Product Insights of Mobile Phone Protective Cover Market

By product, the body glove segment held the largest market share in 2018. Introduction of sleek designs, coupled with use of advanced materials such as silicon, rubber, and thermoplastic polyurethane to deliver 360° protection, is expected to expand the application scope of the segment. Manufacturers have been introducing multi-layered protective mobile covers that provide maximum protection. For instance, Pelican Products, Inc.s high-performance cases for Samsung Galaxy Note9 introduced in August 2018 boasts of providing the ultimate protection for the smartphone. Made from highly durable materials, the Voyager cover variant, for instance, offers four-layered protection against cracks and other damage. The company claims to have tested its products as per military specifications and can survive multiple drops.

New designs and innovative functions are also making an appearance in the market for mobile phone protective covers. A recent collaboration between OtterBox and PopSockets brought smartphone users a new way of expressing themselves through their phone cases. Available in a wide range of colors and graphics, the Otter+Pop Symmetry and Defender Series introduces an OtterBox phone case with a built-in PopGrip.

Conventional plastic materials such as polycarbonate are widely used to manufacture hard protective covers. These provide the least amount of protection to the phone and are more susceptible to cracks and damage when dropped. Hybrid mobile phone covers are better designed to absorb the impact of a fall, compared to cases made from conventional materials as they have a soft inner layer for better shock absorption. Owing to these benefits, the hybrid protective cases segment is anticipated to expand at the highest CAGR of 9.4% over the forecast period.

Distribution Channel Insights

Based on distribution channel, the offline segment held a leading share of 71.0% in the mobile phone protective cover market in 2018. Most consumers still prefer buying products at physical stores rather than online portals as in-store allows the choice of physical verification of the products. It also eliminates the need to pay shipping charges and allows the possibility of consulting sales representatives for further details.

Rising number of retail stores, especially in emerging markets such as India, China, and Brazil, is expected to increase availability of mobile phone accessories, including protective covers. In February 2018, OnePlus, Indias second largest premium smartphone manufacturer, announced its plans to set up authorized brand stores in eight leading cities in the country. The company is also looking to increase its presence in Tata-owned Croma electronics stores as part of the expansion plan.

The online segment is anticipated to expand at the highest CAGR of 8.4% from 2019 to 2025 fueled by growing penetration of mobile phones and high-speed internet. Introduction of innovative delivery options by vendors, such as same day delivery, coupled with growing penetration of e-commerce vendors in tier II and tier III cities, is expected to have a positive impact on the growth of the market.

The global market is highly fragmented, wherein an increasing number of companies have been operating without the presence of a physical, brick-and-mortar store. Increasing number of dedicated online retailers, such as Amazon, Alibaba, and eBay, is expected to assist market growth. In addition, most vendors, including Otter Product, CG Mobile, and Incipio, LLC, have their online portals where consumers can order products as per their requirements.

Regional Insights of Mobile Phone Protective Cover Market

Asia Pacific held the leading share in 2018 owing to the presence of a large number of smartphone users. China is the dominant market in the region, fueled by soaring sales of protective mobile phone covers via offline as well as online channels. The country boasts of being the worlds largest smartphone market, accounting for almost a third of shipments worldwide, with the countrys total smartphone shipment pegged at over 408.0 million units in 2018. This keeps demand for protective covers at a high.

The Middle East and Africa market is anticipated to expand at a CAGR of 6.0% over the forecast period, thanks to growing availability of mobile phones in countries such as South Africa, Ghana, and Kenya and increasing penetration of prominent vendors in the regional market. According to Pew Research Center, a majority of the population in this region owns a mobile phone, smartphone or a basic one, with South Africa reporting the highest number smartphone users. This has driven demand for various mobile phone accessories, including protective covers.

Market Share Insights of Mobile Phone Protective Cover Market

The global market is highly competitive in nature and is characterized by several strategic activities such as expansions, mergers and acquisitions, and product and technological innovations by key manufacturers. Some of the prominent players in the market are Otter Products LLC; Shenzhen Ipaky Electronic Co., Ltd; CG Mobile; Incipio, LLC; Griffin Technology; Amzer; MOKO; ZAGG Intellectual Property Holding Co., Inc.; Belkin International, Inc.; and XtremeGuard.

In March 2019, Apple launched new silicone mobile phone protective covers for iPhone XS and iPhone XS Max, which are available in three color i.e. Spearmint, Papaya, and Delft Blue. In addition, it introduced the Smart Battery Case that not only offers great protection to the phone but also provides a longer battery life. The cover has a silicone exterior with a soft microfiber lining. The company also launched leather folio covers that provide increased protection to the phone, while also providing a space to hold small notes, bills, and cards.

Segmentations, Sub Segmentations, CAGR, & High-Level Analysis overview of Mobile Phone Protective Cover Market Research Report

This report forecasts revenue growth at global, regional, and country levels and provides an analysis of latest industry trends in each of the sub-segments from 2015 to 2025. For the purpose of this study, this market research report has segmented the global mobile phone protective cover market report on the basis product, distribution channel, and region:

Product Outlook (Revenue, USD Million, 2019 - 2030)

  
Body Glove
  
Pouch
  
Phone Skin
  
Hybrid Cases
  
Others

Distribution Channel Outlook (Revenue, USD Million, 2019 - 2030)

  
Offline
  
Online