SHANGHAI—China’s smartphone sales may plunge by as much as 50 percent in the first quarter, as many retail shops have closed for an extended period, and production has yet to fully resume, due to the fast spread of the new coronavirus, according to research reports.
The virus outbreak, which has roiled China’s manufacturing industry, comes as top smartphone vendors such as Huawei had hoped China’s 5G rollout plans this year would help the world’s biggest smartphone market rebound after years of falling sales.
