Rugged Handheld Electronic Devices Market

Market Overview

The rugged handheld electronic devices market is expected to grow from USD 7.2 billion in 2019 to USD 15.8 billion in 2029, at a CAGR of 9%.

Rugged handheld electronic devices are designed to work in harsh exterior and internal conditions. These environments can consist of varying temperature and humidity, shock and vibration, deterioration, abrasion, noise reduction, low pressure, and radio frequency interference. Further, the minimum industry-standard specifications aid the companies to cater these devices to most of the differential industries.

Market Dynamics

Growth of Industry 4.0 and IoT Devices to Drive the Market Growth

With the amplification of advanced technology and efficient use of internet services in the industries, there has been a surge in the Industry IoT and the utilization of the IoT devices. The Internet of Things technology is witnessing significant development. As stated in 'The Mobile Economy 2020' published by the GSM Association, the number of devices connected to the internet is anticipated to reach 25 billion in the year 2025, from 12 billion in 2019. The larger presence of IoT devices in a few years would eventually tie machines to software and linking users to critical services, thus streamlining the organizational workflow and helping people.

The increased adoption of the internet and smart devices, has led to the emergence of Industry 4.0, also known as Industrial IoT. As stated in the 'Industry 4.0 Opportunities Behind The Challenge – Background Paper' by the United Nations Industrial Development Organization, Industry 4.0 is a paradigm shift from centralized to decentralized smart manufacturing and production. Thus, the growth of the Industry 4.0 and IoT devices has led to the increased adoption of rugged handheld devices.

Favorable Government Regulations to Accelerate the Market Growth

Favorable government initiatives and investments for digitalization and the emergence of the small, medium, and large-sized companies have led to the effective utilization of the rugged handheld electronic devices. Some of the government regulations favoring digitalization include the Digital India Program by the Government of India, the Digital Economy Promotion Agency by the Government of Thailand, and Digital China by the Government of China. The rising government and foreign direct investments for the emergence of the industries, especially in Asia, and Africa,drives the market growth.

Incompetent Efficiency and High Price to Hamper the Market Growth

The rugged handheld electronic devices are mainly made for industrial and usage; thus, they fail to competewith other consumer electronics. The limited compatibility and connectivity with differential devices and software have decelerated advancements in the rugged handheld electronic devices. Additionally,its inability to utilize differential technologies,such as 4G, 5G, and A.I.,restrains the market growth. The ruggedness and ability of the devices to resist water and other harsh environmental conditions have increased the cost of the devices, further hampering the market growth.

Regional Analysis

The U.S. to Spearhead North America's Rugged Handheld Electronic Devices Market

North America dominates the rugged handheld electronic devices market on account of the presence of several key players, technologically advanced infrastructure, high adoption of technology, and the advent of Industrial IoTAccording to the "Technology and Innovation Report 2018" issued by the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development, the U.S. occupies a prominent position in the Global Competitiveness Index developed by the World Economic Forum Mexico is also among one of the top countries in this ranking, which includes innovation power, R&D investment by businesses, government programs, scientific research results, and so on.. As stated in the report published by CompTIA Properties, LLC entitled 'I.T. Industry Outlook,' the U.S. technology industry is forecasted to reach approximately USD 1.7 trillion by the end of 2020.

China: Home to the Largest Electronic Market

Asia-Pacific'srugged handheld electronic devices market is anticipated to grow at a faster rate, owing to the increasing number of internet connections and favorable public welfare programmes by the government, such as the Digital India Campaign initiated by the Government of India, and theprogramme named Digital Economy Promotion Agency, by the Government of Thailand, among others. Furthermore, the development of small and medium-sized enterprises in the area has been stimulated by growing government initiatives such as Make in India by the Government of India and government investments such as the USD 21 billion funds set up by the Chinese government in November 2019 to promote manufacturing technology.

China is home to one of the largest electronics markets, with a robust global reach and availability of cost-effective hardware devices. As per an article by the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific, Asia-Pacific is emerging as the largest destination and source of foreign direct investment. It also states that the region attracted 45% of global inflows and accounted for 52% of global outflows. The increase in foreign investments in the region has helped the growth of the manufacturing industry, thereby benefitting the market.

Segmental Analysis

The smartphones and tablets segment caters to the maximum share, owing to the multiple features available that can easily handle and manage the happenings in the industry. The large display, sturdiness, and other functions similar to personal computers have led to the increased adoption of smartphones and tablets in industries. Further its lightweight, and sleek design and effective extra functions from a regular smartphone such as scanning, small size, and tough body have bolstered the growth of the segment. The mobile computers segment, on the other hand, is anticipated to grow at a faster rate, owing to the increasing automation in manufacturing and other industrial verticals.

Manufacturing Units Segment to Hold the Largest Market Share

The manufacturing unit segment holds the largest market share, owing to the proliferation of the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) or Industry 4.0 which has brought forth a complete digital transformation. These devices are also effectively used in the military and defense sectors, further driving the segment growth.

Recent Developments

• In May 2019, Cipher Lab released the RS51 series to aid consumers in gathering and providing reliable data for the transport and logistics, direct storage, and field mobility industries
• In November 2018, Cipher Lab released a powerful RK25 mobile computer with high speed, accuracy, and reliability for the application of various data entry functions