1.7bn smartphones worldwide by 2014
The number of smartphones in use worldwide will grow at an annual rate of 32% between 2010 and 2014, according to a new Analysys Mason report.
More than 50% of this growth will be generated in developing Asia-Pacific and Latin American markets, said Analysys.
Western European, North American and developed Asia-Pacific markets combined will account for less than 30% of total growth.
According to comScore, the UK smartphone market has grown 70% over the past year to more than 11 million subscribers.
Deloitte figures, meanwhile, show that approximately one in five UK consumers owns a smartphone.
Jim Morrish, Analysys Mason principal analyst and author of the report, said: “Smartphone markets in the developed world will continue to be fiercely competitive, but key handset manufacturers such as Nokia and Samsung are lining-up to tap a new opportunity in emerging markets.”
The report says that consumer devices, rather than business devices, will be the primary driver of growth.
“Ultimately, business handsets currently represent a little under 10% of all handsets in the market, so although we expect that in excess of 40% of business handsets will be smartphones by 2014, the sheer number of residential subscriptions dictate that residential users will drive smartphone market growth,” said Morrish.