One billion mobiles sold annually by 2009

1 billion sales a year by 2009

Mobile phone sales will exceed one billion a year by 2009, according to analyst Gartner.

A study of consumers in 12 countries predicts that 2.6 billion people will own a mobile phone by the end of the decade.

‘The world's appetite for mobile phones has exceeded even the most optimistic expectations. They could become the most common consumer electronics devices on the planet,’ said senior Gartner analyst Ben Wood.

While more modern phones are expected to sell quickly in the developed markets of Europe and north American, massive growth is projected for the south American and Asia/Pacific regions.

‘The sales volume cannot be attributed to one region in particular. It’s a truly global phenomenon,’ said Carolina Milanesi, mobile terminals analyst at Gartner.

Gartner predicts says one in three mobiles will be sold in the Asia/Pacific region by 2009.

‘China and India alone will account for nearly 200 million units in 2007, with the Indian market surpassing China in 2009 to reach 139 million units,’ said regional mobile analyst, Ann Liang.

Similar growth is expected in the south American market, with expectations of 100 million terminals selling every year in the area by 2009.