2026 Consumer Technology Trends: Growth outlook

At the sector level, consumers’ overall spending compared with 2025 will continue to grow on small domestic appliances and IT products but fall slightly on consumer electronics and smartphones.

Consumer Electronics & Photo:
Slight decline in 2026

Demand is slowing in many regions due to market saturation for this category—but there are pockets of real movement for the consumer electronics market. 

TVs are set for a lift in 2026, as the first wave of pandemic-era purchases reaches replacement age. Added to this, sports fans will be upgrading their sets ahead of (and during) the 2026 World Cup—especially in countries whose teams make the later rounds of the competition. Recent innovation around RGB Mini LED within TV displays will spur premiumization.

In headsets, the shift toward open-ear designs continues to fuel demand, keeping the category lively. 

Information Tech (IT) & Office:
Some growth in 2026

Demand for PCs and laptops is likely to be lower than in 2025 but will continue due to people still updating older devices following the end of Windows 10 support, plus the ongoing replacement of pandemic-era devices.

Gaming categories and IT Accessories will remain steady contributors, positively impacting overall sector growth. China will see reduced year-over-year demand due to the fading impact of trade-in policies and high 2025 baseline. Given China’s weight in global IT, this tempers the worldwide outlook too.

Major Domestic Appliances (MDA):
A stable 2026

Due to the long replacement cycles of MDA products, many shoppers in 2026 will be those replacing broken or worn-out appliances, rather than those upgrading still-working appliances—especially in the US, if tariffs fuel price increases.

Globally, volume growth will be limited due to high baselines. However, an uptick in housing development and household income in Eastern Europe will boost the built-in appliance market, driving some premiumization. China, however, faces a tough year after 2024–2025 trade-in policies pulled demand forward and created a high baseline—meaning 2026 will see a normalization of premium and offline sales.

Small Domestic Appliances (SDA):
Set for growth in 2026

Consumers are ready to spend on SDA products that offer more convenience, more performance, or more versatility—even at higher prices. Multifunctionality and space efficiency remain big draws. But, as in other sectors, China’s 2025 trade-in policies create a difficult 2026 comparison, which will weigh down both domestic and global SDA figures.

Telecom:
Slight decline in 2026

The success of Apple’s 2025 product launch has boosted expectations for the Samsung product launch in January 2026, and Europe should benefit from replacement cycles after two quiet years.

However, China’s 2026 outlook is negative, with a high 2025 baseline and fading effect from trade-in policies curbing demand. Because China represents such a large share of global telecom revenue, its slowdown also pulls down the global number. Meanwhile, India stands out as a regional growth driver, with consumers there expected to trade up and premiumize.

Contact our Global Strategic Insights team to discuss our detailed Consumer Tech & Durable Goods market estimates for 2026