Following months of raised forecasts and hopeful outlooks, research firm IDC presented perhaps the most optimistic wireless industry outlook to date, predicting that sales of mobile phones will break the 500-million mark next year. The firm said advanced phones, including camera, third-generation and smart phones, will drive sales.
“After years of 3G promises, the pieces-the handsets, the features and applications, the bandwidth and the networks-are starting to come together to make next-generation wireless a reality,” said Alex Slawsby, an analyst in IDC’s Mobile Devices program. “Mobile phones are already an important part of everyday life in many cultures as users have embraced the technology and embedded it into their lifestyle. Enticed by new form factors, expanded features and capabilities, and falling prices, consumers are poised to begin a prolonged replacement cycle by upgrading to next-generation phones. This, combined with new demand from emerging markets, will sustain handset growth for much of the forecast period.”
IDC said handset sales will enjoy 8-percent year-over-year growth in 2004 as shipments of 2.5-generation and 3G mobile phones accelerate worldwide. Specifically, IDC said sales of 2.5G phones will grow 42 percent year over year to 241 million units in 2004. Shipments of 3G mobile phones will surpass 48 million units in 2004. Sales of camera phones will grow 64 percent next year to 100 million units. And sales of smart phones will grow to 30 million units.
