Cell Phone Sales to Hit 1 Billion by 2009

Research firm Gartner says that sales of mobile phones will reach 1 billion by 2009, as the global market expands to 2.6 billion customers. 674 million phones were sold in 2004 and 779 million phones are expected to be sold this year. Southeast Asia will become the biggest market, with one out of every three phones in the world being sold in that area by 2009.

The firm also says the average price of the mobile phone will drop to $161 USD from $174 USD, even as phones become increasingly more complex and feature-laden. Smartphones are expected to account for 20 percent of all phone sales by 2008.