The consumer appetite for smartphones is skyrocketing and will push annual sales worldwide from 131 million units in 2008 to over 300 million by 2013, according to Parks Associates.
Parks Associates finds consumers are attracted to these converged devices because they combine practical and entertainment applications into a mobile platform, which can then be expanded incrementally with new and unique add-ons and applications like Breadcrumbz from the Google Android Market.
"Consumers have a personal connection to their phones," said Harry Wang, director of health and mobile product research at Parks Associates. "Apps like T-Mobile's Sherpa will learn from its user's preferences in order to make personalized, location-based recommendations on restaurants and shops. The latest iPhone release is making a strong case for mobile video, and with a little help from the Apple App Store, users can turn their phone into a lightsaber."
Smartphone users worldwide will top 1.1 billion in 2013, creating a lucrative market for mobile carriers and mobile application developers.
"The success of the iPhone, Pre, and Blackberry shows the strength of consumer demand for an intelligent, multifunctional device," Wang said. "The appeal of the smartphone will create significant new revenue streams for carriers and developers, who should strive to create new service bundles that build off this mobile platform with converged video, voice, and data applications."
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