Technology Trend Study Based on Valid Patents of Smartphone Industry

Abstract

Technology trend study is crucial to new product development. In the past decade, smartphones were star products. However, a ceiling effect emerged in the field of smartphone industry. A new generation of smartphone is similar to the previous generation. It has become an urgent task to analyze the technology trend of smartphone industry, thus finding development direction in the future. The patent data are retrieved in the emerging patent database. Based on valid patents, the technology trend is analyzed by hierarchical clustering analysis. The result of time series analysis shows that low power design of smartphones went through the germination period, outbreak period, and rapid growth period, and is in the sustainable growth period at present. In the foreseeable future, low power design will still be in the sustainable growth period. Thus, low power design could be one of the important directions for smartphone industry.