Consumers increasingly want more sophisticated handsets, and smartphone sales are expected to grow 52% this year compared to last year, according to Gartner. Overall, 190 million units will be sold this year, accounting for about 15% of the total handset market. In 2012, Gartner predicts, smartphone sales will reach over 700 million units, accounting for 65% of all handset sales. This will represent nearly $200 billion, Gartner said.
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Member since:2005-11-13
Another reason is because (AFAIK) it's impossible to find a cell phone anymore that just makes/receives calls, has voicemail, and text messaging capabilities. That's all I really need personally.
Meanwhile, as cell phones are seeing all these advancements, most landline phones have been languishing for years. Cell phones these days can do everything but cook you breakfast, and they're even making 'smart' universal remotes with LCD screens on them. Yet I still can't find a landline phone with distinctive ringtones. I still gotta pay the phone company a monthly fee if I wan't that service.
Member since:2005-07-06
(The following are the European names for the phones they may be called different things in different parts of the world)
Nokia 12xx and 16xx series pretty much fit that description (some of them have a camera though).
Samsung has the SGH-B100, SGH-B300 and SGH-M300 which all pretty much fit your description.
Sony Ericsson has the J100i, J220i and J230i.
Now admittedly non of these are exactly the most actively pushed and marketed telephones, nor are they necessarily displayed or even carried by all big phone stores. They obviously want to you to buy something with a higher profit margin. But all the major manufacturers still have cheap and simple phones in their lineup if that's what you're really after.
Member since:2006-01-12
You make good point. Biggest reason for smartphone demand might be pure fact that you can't buy simple standard phone in future(or they are just ugly kid models). All companies are pushing more advanced features on phones yet most people don't use them(http://blogs.computerworld.com/people_over_30_hate_cell_phones). Also smartphone definition is changing all time, I really hate that term.
Member since:
2006-03-27
Is it because "people want them" or because "they break after a couple of years"?
Like my Nokia 6680, it's two years old and it is dying. I want to replace it with one wich comes withg 5 years of warranty, if it exists.