‘Smartphones have physical limitations’: Report explains why AI is kickstarting a billion-dollar hardware arms race for millions of creators worldwide
- Smartphone limits drive creators toward microphones, lenses, gimbals, and dedicated cameras
- Accessory spending rises as creators invest hundreds and thousands into gear upgrades
- AI-driven production growth exposes capture weaknesses and boosts hardware demand worldwide
Smartphones still dominate video creation, but growing evidence suggests their physical limits are driving a new spending wave on dedicated gear among millions of creators, experts have said.
A new report from Futuresource Consulting estimates the global population of online video creators reached 246 million in 2025 and could grow to 267 million by 2030. That growth is only part of the story, however, as spending patterns and equipment upgrades appear to be the real commercial driver behind the next phase.
The research draws on responses from more than 16,000 people across the USA, UK, Germany, France, Spain, Brazil, China, and India, and combines survey data with creator population sizing, forecasts, and analysis of device preferences and purchasing behavior.
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Smartphones have physical limitations
“Smartphones remain the primary video acquisition device for the vast majority of creators,” said Helen Matthews, Senior Market Analyst at Futuresource. “But the number of users progressing towards dedicated hardware is growing at a significant rate. The closest dedicated alternative, vlogging cameras, falls far behind smartphones in our survey, underscoring how wide the gap remains, and how much runway exists for manufacturers to capture spend.”
She said that progression becomes harder to ignore as creators increase their output.
“And although smartphones present almost no barrier to entry for online content creation, they have physical limitations. As creators grow in ambition and production volume, the penalty for weak capture becomes more visible. That’s where the opportunity for dedicated camera products lies.”
Growth in accessory ownership suggests that move is already happening, with the number of creators using more than just a smartphone rising 17% year over year.
Nearly half of creators with additional accessories reported spending over $1,000 on gear, while 70% said they had spent more than $500.
Microphones, smartphone lenses, gimbals, and compact action cameras similar to GoPro-style devices are among the most commonly planned purchases.These add-ons offer incremental upgrades without requiring creators to abandon smartphones entirely.
Three creator groups appear throughout the data — hobbyists, aspirational creators, and professionals — each with different priorities when spending on equipment. Aspirational and professional creators together account for around 35% of creators today and are expected to approach 38% by 2030.
Artificial intelligence is now widely used by four in five creators, largely speeding up editing, idea generation, and visual effects. Faster production cycles boost output volume, which in turn places pressure on capture quality at the start of the process.
“As post-production becomes faster and more automated, the volume of content produced rises,” Matthews said. “As a result, the penalty for poor capture quality becomes more visible. We expect this dynamic to drive sustained demand for higher-specification cameras, audio equipment and accessories as creators who produce regularly seek to differentiate their output.”
Regional differences affect how that spending unfolds, with India accounting for 28% of the global creator base and showing strong momentum in dedicated hardware adoption.
The USA continues to lead in equipment spending and upgrade pathways, while European markets show uneven growth tied to cultural attitudes around monetization and creator income.
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Smartphone limits drive creators toward microphones, lenses, gimbals, and dedicated cameras Accessory spending rises as creators invest hundreds and thousands into gear upgrades AI-driven production growth exposes capture weaknesses and boosts hardware demand worldwide Smartphones still dominate video creation, but growing evidence suggests their physical limits are driving a new…
