The analyst forecasts the strong rise in consumer appetite for smartphones to continue, buoyed further by the next generation of software releases, rather than by hardware innovations - which could mean existing semiconductors remain sufficient for new models.
Ramon Llamas, senior research analyst at IDC for mobile devices technology and trends, says: "That more smartphone models will be launched is a given, but just as important is the anticipated launch of several refreshed operating systems."
Smartphone sales may also be boosted by a trend towards handset-based gaming, with fellow analyst iSuppli seeing mobile phones stealing market share from consoles.
Driving forces behind this trend include the near-ubiquity of modern phone handsets capable of playing games, along with the tech savvy of their owner audience.
