Mobile phone sales top 146M in 2007

Sales of mobile phones to consumers in the United States reached 146 million units in 2007, according to a report from The NPD Group.
The market generated $11.5 billion in revenues after rebates and promotions, said NPD. The firm noted some growth in the market is coming from landline replacement, with 19% of customers reporting their mobile phone is their primary phone during the fourth quarter of 2007, up from 16% in the fourth quarter of 2006.
“The mobile phone continues to grow as a key part of consumers’ digital lives,” said Ross Rubin, director of industry analysis for The NPD Group. “More consumers are relying on cell phones as their only phones and are willing to invest in their functionality and expression of style.”
NPD also noted that smartphones represented 12% of phone sales in the fourth quarter last year, up from 6% in the fourth quarter of 2006.