Emerging Markets Take Lead for Smart Phone Growth

Global smart phone growth now is driven, in terms of volume, by buyers in emerging markets. 

In total, developing markets will contribute 70 percent to 80 percent of the growth in 2013. 

The BRIIC  (Brazil, Russia, India, Indonesia and China markets) will drive much of the volume growth in the global market in 2013 and beyond.  

China likely  became the leading country-level market for smartphone shipments in 2012, moving ahead of the the United States,

IDC says.

By 2016, India and Brazil also will have entered the ranks of the top-five  country markets for smart phone shipments. India will be the third largest smart phone market by 2017.

But those emerging markets will require low-cost devices, in the sub-US$50 range, IDC estimates.

NPD DisplaySearch forecasts that l

ow-cost smartphone shipments will double every year from 2010 to 2016, increasing from 4.5 to 311 million.