Asia and Africa lift cell phone market
Wednesday, 31 October 2007
HELSINKI, Oct 30 (Reuters): Robust demand from emerging markets in Asia and Africa lifted third-quarter sales of all major handset vendors from the previous quarter, with companies expecting another sales boost from holiday shopping ahead.
All handset vendors combined shipped 285 million mobile phones in the July-September quarter, with strong demand in Asia and Africa lifting sales 12 per cent from a year ago, research firm Strategy Analytics said Thursday.
Top cell phone providers said they envisage that the market will grow more than 10 per cent in the holiday sales-fuelled fourth quarter, but analysts said component shortages are starting to cap growth.
All handset vendors combined shipped 285 million mobile phones in the July-September quarter, with strong demand in Asia and Africa lifting sales 12 per cent from a year ago, research firm Strategy Analytics said Thursday.
Top cell phone providers said they envisage that the market will grow more than 10 per cent in the holiday sales-fuelled fourth quarter, but analysts said component shortages are starting to cap growth.