ABI Research said smartphone growth will be driven by Chinese and Indian phone makers, which will be creating low-cost Google Android or AOSP devices for markets in Africa, Asia, the Middle East and Latin America.

Some of the Indian smartphone makers include Micromax, Karbonn, Lava International, Xolo, Spice, Videocon, Intex, etc.

Chinese phone makers who are going global include Huawei, ZTE, Lenovo, OPPO, etc.

There will be 1.25 billion smartphone shipments in 2014 and more than 2 billion in 2018, said ABI Research.

The compound annual growth rate (CAGR) over the forecast period from 2014 to 2019 is 12 percent.

Smartphone penetration of mobile subscribers is under 30 percent worldwide.

Nick Spencer, senior practice director, ABI Research, said: “Most advanced and affluent markets already have 60 percent+ penetration, so the growth is driven by developing markets and the reduction in smartphone ASPs.”

Smartphones will consolidate their lead as the largest computing category, more than doubling that of its nearest rival in 2017.