How The Cellphone Market Is Transforming | CNBC Marathon

CNBC Marathon explores how the cellphone market is transforming.

Made in China. It’s a common phrase known by many. Cellphones, TV screens and game consoles are just some of the millions of electronics manufactured and imported from China to the U.S. daily. China has controlled the smartphone manufacturing market for years. While some industries, like the semiconductor industry and the EV battery market, are scrambling to build new factories across the U.S., tech giants like Apple and Google are not making the same effort to do that. CNBC explores why tech giants produce phones abroad and whether it makes sense to move production to America.

Dumb phones, once considered outdated, are still prevalent around the world, making up about a quarter of mobile phones actively in use. While affordability in developing countries is a significant reason for their continued use, there could be an unexpected but potential rise in use among younger generations conscientious about the potential smart phones could have on mental health. While Nokia and Motorola are still some of the biggest dumb phone makers in the world, Punkt. and Light are two start-ups betting on the resurgence in popularity.

For years, BlackBerry was the most popular smartphone brand in the U.S. After failing to adjust to the rapidly-changing industry and falling to competitors like Apple and Google, the company pivoted to an entirely new direction. Now, it’s focused solely on software and cybersecurity — trying to leave the iconic cellphones in the past. CNBC visited BlackBerry's Autonomous Vehicle Innovation Center and interviewed CEO John Chen to see what the company is up to now.

Chapters:
00:00 — Introduction
00:40 — Why The U.S. Fell Behind In Phone Manufacturing (Published November 2022)
17:58 — The Rise Of Dumb Phones (Published March 2023)
35:16 — What Happened To BlackBerry? (Published November 2022)

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How The Cellphone Market Is Transforming | CNBC Marathon