Both this and the previous years were very successful for the cellular communication industry, but this success will hardly repeat itself in 2005. The supply volume of mobile phones will most likely grow in the coming year, but it will be less than 10%, which reflects (1) the negative situation in the semiconductor industry on the whole and (2) the situation with the replacement wave of old models across Europe and North America gradually coming to naught. The only hope is the developing markets: of Eastern Europe, which is inexorably moving to saturation; and of South East Asia, where the tastiest morsel, China, did not come up to vendors' expectations. Though the manufacturers are also looking towards the Indian market, the growth rate of the Indian economy will not provide high consumer demand. Instead, great expectations are entertained of South America, and Brazil in the first place, as well as of the countries in North Africa and Republic of South Africa.



Link: Digit-Life