Maxis Bhd, a leading player in the market, has estimated that over the next two years, adoption of its smartphones will increase by 50 per cent, The Star Online reported.
Should this forecast come into fruition, it would take the firm's subscriber numbers to above 20 million.
According to the company, one-third of its current customer base has made the move from regular mobile to smartphone.
Jean-Pascal van Overbeke, the firm's chief operating officer, told the news provider that the devices are becoming increasingly popular, saying the recent launch of the Samsung Galaxy S II saw customers queuing up from 03:00.
"There's a real demand for smartphone products from consumers. They were waiting just to get the latest smartphone device," he said.
"Today, manufacturers have reviewed their position in South-East Asia because there's demand here. Some have even put Malaysia as a first-tier country for their product launches."
