Smartphones will soon represent the largest handset segment in the world, a new study has predicted.
Carried out by ABI Research, the findings revealed smartphone shipments will account for 50 per cent of all handset sales by 2014, with this figure rising to 69 per cent by 2018.
These projections – which are part of the research firm’s Mobile Handset Markets Database – mean a total of 2.4 billion handset shipments are likely to be made in 2018, with long-term evolution (LTE) devices making up a significant proportion of this sum.
Jeff Orr, senior practice director at ABI Research – which was formed in 1990 and now advises thousands of decision-makers through more than 70 research services – said: “With the successful launch of the iPhone 5 and competing LTE handsets … LTE handsets will be found in the hands of many consumers who do not even have access to LTE networks.”
Mr Orr explained Apple is making moves to show that LTE is not the only reason why they should choose to invest in a premium handset.
