2017 was a tough year for the smartphone industry, with shipments in the fourth quarter having fallen by 6.3% in the fourth quarter according to IDC. That confirmed a full year trend shown by U.S. imports that fell 2.9% on a year earlier to 19.73 million handsets – the worst since 2013, Panjiva data shows.

Yet, the early outlook for 2018 may be more positive. Imports in December were 21.0% higher than a year earlier, led by a 24.9% rise in shipments from China. At 22.35 million units was the best December result since 2014, and was likely the result of Apple’s decision to phase the release of its new iPhone models between the 8 in September and X in November.

Chart segments U.S. imports of mobile phones by month. Source: Panjiva

Steady innovation in handset content has also resulted in a steady increase in the value of phones, which on a import value per unit basis reached $281 in the fourth quarter, the highest on record and 23.5% higher than a year earlier. More details on the outlook should become clear at the Mobile World Congress scheduled for February 26.

Chart shows average import value per handset for mobile phones, segmented by country of origin. Source: Panjiva