As 2023 draws to a close we have invited key industry leaders to offer their predictions on what we can expect from the world of mobile in 2024. Take a read of these thoughts and revisit next year to see how these predictions fared.

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Dario Betti, CEO at Mobile Ecosystem Forum‍

“In 2024, we stand on the cusp of another significant phase of evolution in the mobile ecosystem. These changes will have far-reaching implications on the competitive landscape, consumer rights, and the way we conduct business in the digital age.

“A new ‘fair play’ framework is necessary: nationally telcos are now competing with communication platforms that are global and do not respond to an equivalent legal set: from protection of minors to net neutrality. Both parties will have much to gain from progressing this debate. In the age of post-globalisation, mobile operators are already facing big challenges in supply chain and cybersecurity. However, this might soon be overtaken by a deeper and bigger effort to review what environmental sustainability will mean for telcos and its suppliers.”

Ineke Botter, former CEO mobile networks, partner Wyze2, author ‘Your phone, my life’

“Whilst working in emerging markets for most of my adult life, I can truly say that mobile networks have been the biggest game changer from the moment they were built in these countries. With 5G gathering steam, globally, this super-fast high-capacity technology will allow any service, like mobile money, health care, education, to be accessed by billions of people instantly, especially in urban areas. This will help to mend the digital gap more and more.

“On top, the trend that operators will increasingly start offering tailor-made solutions also in emerging markets will help factories, services industries, and other large facilities to quantum leap into the future, thereby creating an estimated additional 0.5% GDP growth annually.”

Ineke's book, Your Phone, My Life, can be found here.

Tom Corcoran, Head of Government Affairs at Qualcomm Technologies International

"2024 is set to be an exciting year because we will begin to see the deployment of many of the incredible innovations and technologies the industry has been talking about.

“This I believe will be down to more standalone 5G and 5G mmWave, which Ofcom is due to auction in 2024 and will enable many of the technologies that will underpin smart cities across the UK.”

‍Sophie James, Head of Telecoms and Spectrum Policy at techUK

"I hope 2024 will be the year of greater digital adoption. While advanced connectivity like standalone 5G and full fibre won’t solve all the challenges the UK faces, it can boost economic growth and greater productivity. For businesses, and particularly SMEs, techUK would like to see greater support for firms to embrace digitalisation and harness emerging technology, such as AI, to become more productive and grow sustainably. Connectivity is central to this.

“Ofcom’s welcome modernization of net neutrality should bring new, compelling offers in 2024. Think specialized plans geared to gamers and zero-rated offers for social benefit services, which sadly were illegal before.”

Roslyn Layton, Senior Vice President at Strand Consult

“While the UK made an important step with Ofcom's modernisation of net neutrality, it is still insufficient to make it a 5G leader. No 5G leader has hard net neutrality rules. 5G leadership in South Korea and Japan demonstrate that principles-based regimes work to promote mobile network innovation and investment.  

“There are glimmers of hope for the UK, but Europe overall will fall far further behind in tech/telecom, with its share of total internet market value already surpassed by Africa.”

‍Ben Wood, Chief Analyst at CCS Insight

"There is another exciting year ahead for the mobile industry. A hot topic will be second-hand mobile phones and by the start of 2024 we predict more than half of iPhones in use are second-hand devices and also that Apple will move to take greater control of the second-hand market for iPhones.”

“By 2028 we expect the introduction of self-healing displays on smartphones and by 2030 you’ll see the first smartphones with biodegradable batteries as the environmental efforts in consumer electronics continue to gather momentum. For networks, by 2025, we believe a connectivity performance rating will be mandated as part of the sale of any property in a major European market and that by 2029, all new cellular connections in at least one leading telecom market will be made through e-SIM.”

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