Smartphone Shipments To Hit A Billion By 2016

One billion smartphones will ship annually by 2016 if current growth continues, according to a new report from Juniper Research. Last year smartphone shipments registered at 302 million.

Juniper believes ‘economy smartphones’ retailing for $150 (around £90) or less will make up a third of the total and represent the best opportunity for new entrants to the market.

It predicts that open-source operating systems – predominantly Android – and the falling cost of key components will improve smartphone accessibility in emerging markets.

Emerging markets

Smartphones report author Daniel Ashdown said: “In developed markets, many consumers will want to upgrade from a feature phone to a smartphone, but still pay a feature phone price.

“In emerging markets though, lower average consumer spending power and lack of operator subsidies will make a low price point essential”.

The report also notes that the market for standard smartphones, costing $151-$399 (about £90-£250), and premium smartphones ($400 or £250 plus) will ‘remain robust’.

This will be driven by new technologies such as NFC, 3D and Biometrics and the integration of features from other devices, such as gamepads, allowing smartphones to ‘morph’ tablets or netbooks.

In January In-stat predicted that smartphone shipments would hit 850m by 2015.