Mobile phones sales to keep their steady growth in 2006

According to Strategy Analytics market research group, which published its predictions after the top five mobile phone manufacturers released their fourth-quarter results, cellphones shipments rose to 810 million units in 2005, i.e. 19 percent more than the previous year. The researchers expect the shipments to grow even further in 2006, with 15 percent, reaching 930 million units. Moreover, they predict that the sales will pass the 1 billion mark in 2007.

This growth was and will continue to be mainly due to the increasing demand for mobile phones in the southern hemisphere, particularly India and Africa. This means that low-end and less expensive mobile phones will prevail. As a result cellphone manufacturers will be faced by lower profits.

Nokia retained its number one position with a 34 percent market share for the fourth quarter (slightly increased, compared to the same period in 2004 - 33 percent). Motorola managed to get closer to Nokia by increasing its market share with 18.3 percent in the fourth quarter of 2005 (16.2 percent during the same period the year before), mainly due to its thin RAZR phone. They are followed by Samsung, LG and Sony Ericsson.

Source: Reuters