Smartphones to grab 16-17% of handset market in '09 - researchers

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Smartphones will represent at least 16% of the handset market in 2009 and will capture up to 23% by 2013, according to research firm estimates.

iSuppli estimates that the smartphone industry will grow by as much as 11.1% this year, with up to 192.3 million units shipped.

Smartphones will represent between 16.6%-17.4% of the total handset market by the end of 2009, iSuppli said, with the smartphone market growing at a CAGR of 21% until 2013.

Juniper Research has separately estimated that smartphones will represent 23% of all handset sales by 2013, with annual sales of around 300 million.

Juniper researcher Andrew Kitson added that the majority of new phones will be smartphones "very soon."

In-Stat has separately predicted that smartphones will double their share of the handset market to about 20% by 2013, with growth driven predominantly by strong sales in the US market.

In a recent survey conducted by the research firm, one-third of respondents stated they planned to obtain a smartphone the next time they upgrade their handsets, In-Stat said.