NielsenIQ (NIQ), a leading consumer intelligence company, has released its Consumer Tech Industry Trends 2025 report, forecasting global Consumer Tech & Durables sales to reach $1.29 trillion (£99bn) —driven by emerging markets, replacement cycles, and premium innovation—in the year ahead.

“To grow in 2025 and beyond, manufacturers and retailers must lead with value—real innovation that resonates with today’s purpose-driven consumers,” says Julian Baldwin, Global President of Tech & Durables, NIQ. “The opportunity lies in products that improve performance, enhance everyday experiences, and offer visible returns on investment. Premiumisation, especially through AI, is a key growth lever, but only if it’s intuitive, accessible, and clearly beneficial.”

Top 2025 Tech Trends:

Home Entertainment and Gaming: Immersive Wins, But Timing Matters.

  • TV upgrades will lag until 2026, with innovation and replacement of broken TVs being the key 2025 drivers.
  •  Demand for 70-inch-plus TVs surged 25 per cent in 2024—a continued push toward immersive, in-house experiences.
  • Gaming PCs are entering replacement cycles, with 2025 lockdown-era purchases now due for upgrades.
  • The Audio category rose 3 per cent globally, fueled by demand in emerging markets alongside popularity of wireless headbands and open ear headphones.

Smartphones: Premiumisation with a purpose

  • Most consumers (71 per cent) now keep their smartphone for 3+ years, up from 52 per cent in 2020.
  • Sales of > $600+ (£465+) smartphones jumped 6 per cent, while lower-priced phones demand declined 1 per cent.
  • AI remains a latent differentiator. Only 7.8 per cent of global buyers cited AI as their purchase driver, though this is up YoY (from 6 per cent in Q224).
  • Power packs sales grew 7 per cent, driven largely by demand in Europe.

Health Tech: Top Performer with premium potential

  • Wearables posted 4 per cent growth in 2024 and are expected to accelerate in 2025.
  • AI-powered predictive features and personalization will drive premium growth in this category.

Workspace Tech: Time to replace

  • A new wave of PC/laptop replacements is underway, tied to 2020 pandemic purchases aging out
  • Consumers are prioritizing memory (55 per cent), operating system (50 per cent), and battery life (49 per cent) when upgrading.
  • Black Friday 2024 laptop sales grew 173 per cent YoY in key markets like Brazil, Czechia, EU5, Hungary, the Netherlands, and Turkey.

Promotional Events: Deals are driving tech purchases

  • Major events matter: 33 per cent of tech sales in 2024 occurred during seven key promotions, up from 29 per cent in 2021.
  • Expect shoppers in 2025 to plan around seasonal deals more than ever.

Regional Outlook: Emerging Markets to Lead Growth

China (+5 per cent) and Emerging Asia (+4 per cent) will lead global growth, followed by Middle East & Africa and North America.

Why These Trends Matter for 2025

NIQ’s Consumer Tech Industry Trends 2025 report equips businesses with a forward-looking roadmap to unlock category growth, target evolving personas, and drive revenue through data-backed innovation.

Download the full report to explore consumer tech’s most promising sectors and strategic imperatives.