China will overtake the United States as the biggest marketfor smartphones amid a surge in low-cost handsets, a survey said.
The research firm IDC said China will account for 26.5percent of all smartphone shipments in 2012, compared to 17.8 percent for theUnited States.
IDC said it sees strong growth in India, which has thelowest smartphone penetration in the Asia region as operators roll out moreaffordable data plans and generous subsidies, and that it would be the thirdlargest market by 2016.
"Looking ahead, the PRC smartphone market will continueto be lifted by the sub-$200 Android segment," said Wong Teck-Zhung,senior analyst at IDC.
"Near-term prices in the low-end segment will come downto $100 and below as competition for market share intensifies among smartphonevendors."
IDC said the move to 4G, or faster mobile networks, isanother major growth catalyst and that growth is continuing in virtually allmarkets.
"The fact that China will overtake the United States insmartphone shipments does not mean that the US smartphone market is grinding toa halt," said IDC's Ramon Llamas.
"Now that smartphones represent the majority of mobilephone shipments, growth is expected to continue, but at a slower pace. There isstill a market for first-time users as well as thriving upgradeopportunities."
A separate survey said smartphones are set to make up amajority of the global handset market next year, fueled by surging demand fromconsumers in both wealthy and emerging nations.
