7 May 2011

Smartphones to rise from 27% to 53% of handset sell-through in 2015

Total handsets sold to end users globally will reach 1.46 billion in 2011 with smartphone sales accounting for 27% of total handset sell-through but, driven by demand for inexpensive Android models, this will almost double to 53% in 2015, according to the quarterly Smartphone Forecast of market research firm Pyramid Research.

“Much of the projected total market growth in 2011 will come from the Africa and Middle East (AME) region, which will see a strong demand for low-end smartphone models, ultra-low-cost handsets and dual-SIM and full touch-screen feature phones,” says Stela Bokun, senior analyst & practice leader for Mobile Devices at Pyramid Research.

“The main drivers of the demand in the developed markets will be the launches of a number of flagship high-end devices and new features and technologies,” Bokun explains. “However, inexpensive smartphone models, particularly those from Huawei and ZTE, also will be in high demand in some of the richest Western European, Asian and North American markets.”

Android-based smartphones will continue to shake the smartphone world, but Pyramid’s findings predict that, by 2015, Windows Phone will overtake Android and other major competitors and establish itself as the leader in the smartphone OS space.

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Smartphone sales grow 66% in 2010

Tags: Smartphone market

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