Nearly 959 million smartphones will be shipped in 2013, according to the latest estimates from International Data Corp.
The 33 percent year-over-year increase in global shipments also represents the first time that smartphone shipments will eclipse conventional cell phones, according to IDC. Much of this growth is expected to come from emerging markets, which will account for 65 percent of all shipments this year, compared to just 43 percent of global smartphone shipments in 2010.
The average selling price for new units is expected to decline again in 2013 to $372 — down from $407 in 2012 and $443 in 2011. The continued drop in the price of new units could potentially affect sales of refurbished phones, which are often resold in emerging markets or on budget carriers in developed markets.