Google Android is forecasted to drive smartphone sales

SMARTPHONE SALES will grow significantly faster than those of regular feature phones thanks to the success of Google's Android operating system, according to a Pyramid Research report.

This conclusion is reached by Pyramid's latest mobile handset forecast that looks out to 2015 and predicts that 8.3 billion units will be sold.

The projected increase is largely down to high growth in the Middle East, Africa and Asia-Pacific markets, where it predicts a compound annual growth rate of between 7.3 per cent and 10.3 per cent between now and 2015.

While smartphone sales will grow fast due to Android, the lowest end of the market will also see strong growth. Feature phones, on the other hand, will continue to lose market share over the coming years.

This will lead to an alleged revenue gold mine worth a whopping $1 trillion, a figure that will have all the major players battling for dominance in what is becoming a hotly contested market.

Pyramid forecasts that Android will continue to see substantial growth over the next few years, with its supporters ZTE, Huawei, Samsung and Sony Ericsson all predicting high double-digit percentage growth.

All of these companies will offer Android phones catering for different segments of the market, ensuring that consumers hit by the global recession will still be able to afford upgrades. µ