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UK Business Creation Drops To Lowest Rate Since 2010, Raising Economic Concerns

by THEFUTURE.TEAM

November 20, 2024

The United Kingdom witnessed its slowest rate of new business creation in over a decade last year, signalling potential challenges for long-term economic growth and productivity. Official data from the Office for National Statistics (ONS), released Monday, showed that 316,000 businesses were started in 2023, a decline from 337,000 in 2022. This dropped the “business birth rate” — the percentage of new businesses relative to the total number of active businesses — to 11.0%, its lowest level since 2010.

Business closures also decreased, with 309,000 shutting down in 2023 compared to 349,000 in 2022, reducing the “business death rate” to 10.8%, the lowest since 2020.

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Economists warn that declining rates of both business creation and closure could negatively impact productivity and innovation. Established businesses often struggle to adopt new technologies or innovate at the same pace as startups.

The ONS recently reported that UK output per hour worked in Q3 2024 was 1.8% lower than a year earlier, with just a 2.0% cumulative increase since the COVID-19 pandemic began. These figures, tied to productivity stagnation, may see revisions as new population data becomes available.

However, there was a positive trend in high-growth businesses. The proportion of firms with at least 10 employees that expanded their workforce by 20% annually for three consecutive years rose to 4.7% in 2023, the highest in five years.

The newly elected Labour government has pledged to make the UK a leader in per-capita economic growth among G7 countries. However achieving this goal may require addressing barriers to business growth and encouraging entrepreneurship beyond small-scale startups, which often have limited productivity impacts unless they scale up.

While the hospitality sector remains a key area for new businesses, the broader startup ecosystem’s growth will be essential to strengthening the UK economy in the years ahead.

The Decline Of Smartwatches: A Turning Point In The Wearable Tech Industry

by THEFUTURE.TEAM

March 13, 2025

For the first time in history, the smartwatch market is facing a significant downturn. Shipments are expected to drop by 7% in 2024, marking a major shift in a segment that has been growing steadily for over a decade. A report by Counterpoint reveals that while Apple still holds the top spot, its dominance is being challenged by a surge from Chinese brands like Huawei, Xiaomi, and BBK. Even as the overall market struggles, some companies are thriving.

The Big Picture: Why Smartwatches Are Slowing Down

Apple’s flagship products have long been the driving force in the smartwatch market, but even the tech giant is feeling the pressure. The company’s shipments are projected to fall by 19% this year, though it will remain the market leader. Meanwhile, brands from China are capitalizing on the shift, with Huawei showing an impressive 35% growth in sales, driven by the booming domestic market and a broad range of offerings, including smartwatches for kids.

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Xiaomi, too, is experiencing remarkable success, with a staggering 135% increase in sales. In contrast, Samsung is seeing more modest growth, up 3%, thanks to its latest Galaxy Watch 7 and Galaxy Watch Ultra series.

While some companies are succeeding, the broader market is facing headwinds. The biggest factor behind the overall decline is the slowdown in India, where consumer demand for smartwatches has stagnated. The segment is suffering from a lack of innovation and fresh updates, leaving many consumers with little incentive to upgrade their devices. Add to that market saturation, and it’s clear why many users are content with their current models. The Chinese market, however, is bucking the trend, showing 6% growth in 2024.

A Glimpse Into The Future

Looking ahead, the smartwatch market may begin to recover in 2025, driven by the increasing integration of AI and advanced health monitoring tools. As these technologies evolve, the industry could see a resurgence in demand.

Huawei’s Remarkable Comeback

Huawei’s impressive performance in the smartwatch space signals a broader recovery for the company, which has been hit hard by US sanctions. Once the world’s largest smartphone maker, Huawei’s business was decimated when it lost access to advanced chips and Google’s Android operating system in 2019. But in China, Huawei has maintained its dominance, with its market share growing to 17% in 2024.

This resurgence was partly driven by the launch of the Mate 60 Pro, a smartphone featuring a 7-nanometer chip developed in China. Despite US sanctions, the device surprised many with its capabilities, a testament to China’s rising investment in domestic semiconductor production.

In February, Huawei also unveiled its Mate XT foldable smartphone, the world’s first device to fold in three directions. Running on HarmonyOS 4.2, Huawei’s proprietary operating system, the phone further demonstrates the company’s resilience and ability to innovate despite international challenges.

Huawei’s smartwatch offerings are also catching attention, particularly the Huawei Watch GT 5 Pro, which launched in September of last year. With a premium titanium alloy design, a high-resolution AMOLED display, and impressive health tracking features, the GT 5 Pro has become a standout in the market, available to both Android and iOS users.

A Brief History Of The Smartwatch Revolution

The smartwatch market has had its fair share of milestones, but the real breakthrough came in 2012 with the Pebble, a Kickstarter-funded project that raised over $10 million. Pebble introduced the world to smartphone integration, app downloads, and long battery life, becoming the first truly mass-market smartwatch.

In 2013, Samsung entered the game with the Galaxy Gear, marking its first attempt at wearable tech. But it was Apple’s entry in 2014 that truly set the industry on fire. The Apple Watch’s sleek design, integration with iOS, and emphasis on health and fitness catapulted it to the top of the market, establishing a standard that many other brands would try to follow.

By 2021, the smartwatch industry had grown to over $30 billion in revenue, with annual growth reaching 20%. Yet now, it finds itself at a crossroads, with innovation stagnating and market saturation taking a toll.