According to a report by Nancy Gohring, the mobile phone competition heats up as sales slow because of the faltering economy.

 

Despite the reluctance of end-users to buy new phones, when they do make a purchase they are more frequently opting for a smarthphone. Reseachers there predict that by 2013, smartphones will double their share of all cell phones worldwide to about 20 percent.

 

Nowadays, more and more people are drawn to smartphone because of the ability to download new applications.

 

The slower growth is creating an opportunity for new entrants in the amartphone market. The Linux operating system will see the most growth,though they will be second-best in volume behind Symbian. That means Linux will outpace Windows Mobile,RIM and the iPhone.

 

Even though Symbian is expected to remain in the top position among software platforms, Nokia, the number-one phone maker in the world and a Symbian user, continues to struggle to hang onto its market share. Nokia’delay in introducing touch-screen products led to poor smartphone sales.

 

Samsung, which quickly rolled out touch-screen devices,fared better. In the fourth quarter, it boosted its market share to 18 percent, up from 13 percent in the corresponding period in 2007.

 

LG also did well, moving into third place, while struggling Sony Ericsson and Motorola both slipped in their rankings.

 

The iPhone didn’t sell enough phones to make it into Gartner’s top five and so is included with other phone makers in a category that comprises 20 percent of the market.