Handset sales in the first quarter of 2010 were higher than expected, due to a strong growth in global smartphone sales and also the continuing uptake of unbranded low cost mobile devices in emerging markets, according to Research and Markets (http://www.researchandmarkets.com).

The handset sector also saw the release of Apple’s iPhone 4 and it is predicted that iPhone sales in 2010 will be much higher than in previous years, according to the research group. The rise of the smartphone is at the expense of the more traditional players, however, which are now beginning to feel the impact from the competitive threats from iPhone and Google Android