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Phone cases are on display at the Shanghai International Gift Fair on July 12, 2024. Photo: VCG

Viral photos posted to social media in China of celebrities' phone cases have the nation's youth dialed into a new frugal fashion - they prefer changing their phone cases over frequently upgrading their phones, a trend some phone makers are looking to capitalize on.

Young actress Zhao Lusi often shares her phone cases on social media, with more than 40 different phone cases. TV show actress Yu Shuxin also has a variety of phone cases, including humorous "pager" designs, selfie images and Casetify cases with an Instagram aesthetic.

These celebrity-endorsed or celebrity-style phone cases have garnered significant attention and popularity among fans and young people.

Tang Yishu, a market research analyst from Shanghai, told the Global Times that for young consumers, changing phone cases is much more cost-effective than changing their actual phone. A phone case costs only a few dozen yuan (around $2-12), while a new phone can cost several thousand yuan or even tens of thousands.

"As technology improves, many mobile phones can still maintain a good user experience after 2-3 years. So if a phone is well protected with a case, you don't need to replace it anywhere near as often," Tang noted.

While according to Counterpoint data, global smartphone sales had slumped in 2022 and 2023, sales have rebounded according to the technology research firm, who reported on July 15 a global smartphone growth of 6 percent in the second quarter of 2024, the highest quarterly growth since the second quarter of 2021.

It is seen that due to economic uncertainties, consumers are becoming more cautious about spending on high-ticket items like mobile phones.

"They prefer to use one phone for several years and frequently change phone cases rather than follow the annual release of new phone models," Tang added.

The booming phone case market reflects young people's pursuit of personalization and fashion. For many young people, changing phone cases is a low-cost consumption pleasure. They can display their personality and taste by changing phone cases with different styles and colors.

"As of the end of last year, China had nearly 30,000 phone case-related enterprises, with almost half established in the past three years," Tang said. With the continued development of smartphones, the phone case market is expected to evolve even more.

Domestic mobile brand OPPO has collaborated with Chinese independent designer brands to launch six co-branded phone cases with exquisite and fashionable designs that highlight individuality.

Whether it is celebrity-endorsed or co-branded cases, phone cases have become an essential element of fashion trends, guiding the public's aesthetic direction.

The shift from pursuing new phone models to satisfying personalization needs through small expenditures is not only transforming the phone accessories market but also signaling a more diverse future for the smartphone market.