Smart phone sale to touch 1.2 bn units in 2014

Fuelled by the growth of low-cost handsets in emerging markets like India, smart phones sale is expected to reach 1.2 billion - a 23.1 percent increase over 2013 - by the end of 2014, a latest survey from International Data Corporation (IDC) said.

Emerging markets like India, Indonesia and Russia will drive smart phone sales for the next few years, the US-based research and advisory firm stated.

"Android continues to dominate these sales with an estimated market share of 80.2 percent in 2014," the IDC report said.

"Smart phone shipments will more than double between now and 2018 within key emerging markets, including India, Indonesia and Russia," said Ramon Llamas, a research manager with IDC's mobile phone team.

In addition, China will account for nearly a third of all smartphone shipments in 2018, he added.

Apple's iOS market share may drop from 14.8 percent in 2014 to 13.7 percent in 2018 while the market share of Windows phone will rise from 3.5 percent this year to 6.4 percent by 2018.

BlackBerry's market share will be less than one percent this year, the IDC report added.