ISLAMABAD: China’s shipments of smart home devices saw steady year-on-year expansion in 2021, according to an industrial report. Makers of smart home devices in the country shipped over 220 million units during the period, up 9.2 percent year on year, said global market research firm International Data Corporation (IDC). In the fourth quarter of 2021, China shipped around 63.4 million smart home devices, up 4.1 percent year on year, IDC data showed. The corporation predicted that shipments of smart home devices in China will surge 17.1 percent to over 260 million units this year, Xinhua reported. The IDC, founded in 1964, is a global provider of market intelligence, advisory services, and events in information technology, telecommunications, and consumer technology markets.