ABI Research (www.abiresearch.com) says that mobile phone accessories in the aftermarket will generate revenues of US$51.1 billion by the end of 2014.

Protective carry cases continue to generate the highest revenues and shipment numbers (US$13 billion and 556,855,035 respectively) with additional chargers and memory cards among the other major contributing product categories.

"Consumers are seeking additional protection for their smartphones, with most modern devices coming with larger screens and therefore more susceptibility to damage if dropped or carried in a pocket unprotected," says Thomas McCourtie, research analyst at ABI Research. Some protective cases also offer compartments to store debit and credit cards, and with an increasing number of consumers opting to pay for goods and services via contactless payment systems, there is more of an incentive to carry all essential items (phone and bank cards) together for added convenience."

Mobile phone accessories with Bluetooth availability will continue to be the most shipped handset smart accessory with sales increasing by almost 20% (18%) over a 5-year period; 2014 to 2019. Products in this category generally have lower shipment volumes but many Bluetooth enabled accessories are proving popular with consumers, particularly mobile media speakers and headphones,” adds McCourtie.

"Products such as the Beats by Dr. Dre Pill and the Creative D200 have become some of the most sought-after mobile accessories," says McCourtie. "People are willing to pay for quality audio and highly visual brands. The popularity of music streaming services such as iTunes, Spotify, and Beats Music is helping to drive sales."