Worldwide cellphone sales have totalled 417 million units in the third quarter of 2010 - a 35% increase from the previous year, according to technology research firm Gartner.
Smartphone sales grew 96% from the third quarter last year, and smartphones accounted for 19.3% of overall mobile phone sales in the third quarter of 2010.
"This is the third consecutive double-digit increase in sales year-on-year, indicating consumer demand is healthy," says Carolina Milanesi, research VP at Gartner.
Vodacom reflected this trend at its recent half-year financial results presentation, when it reported that smartphone sales were up 65%, at 2.5 million units.
The operator hopes to offset loses from mobile termination rates via the greater uptake of mobile Internet expected from the surge in smartphone usage.
Android popularity
"This quarter saw Apple and Android drive record smartphone sales. Apple's share of the smartphone market surpassed Research In Motion, in North America, to put it second behind Android, while Android volumes also grew rapidly, making it the number two operating system worldwide," explains Milanesi.
According to Gartner, the third quarter of 2010 produced record sales of more than 81 million communication devices, based on open operating systems for smartphones. Android accounted for 25.5% of worldwide smartphone sales.
"Smartphone OS providers have entered a period of accelerated platform evolution, stimulated by more regular product releases, new platform entrants and new device types," says Roberta Cozza, principal research analyst at Gartner.
"Any platform that fails to innovate quickly - either through a vibrant multi-player ecosystem, or clear vision of a single controlling entity - will lose developers, manufacturers, potential partners and ultimately users."
SA has seen an influx of smarter smartphones over the past two months, including the introduction of the Apple iPhone 4G, the Samsung Galaxy S, the BlackBerry Torch, and the Nokia N8.
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