Reuters: Cellphone sales seen at over 1 bln a year by 2009

Reuters: Cellphone sales seen at over 1 bln a year by 2009: "Mobile phone sales will exceed one billion handsets a year by 2009 as they become the most common consumer electronics device with 2.6 billion people using one by then, according to a survey published on Wednesday.
Around 1.04 billion cell phones will be sold in 2009, up from an upwardly revised estimate of 779 million this year and 674 million handsets in 2004, research group Gartner said.
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The price differences will be huge, with basic handsets for emerging markets selling for $20 apiece, while smartphones with computer-like functions retailing for hundreds of dollars.
Smartphones, currently a luxury segment, will make up just over one fifth of all phone sales by 2008."