Handset makers expect 2008 to be a year of rapid expansion in what theyre calling mobile broadband.
The UK mobile retail mag Mobile Today reports that Samsung is planning to release around four times as many HSDPA and WiFi-enabled handsets this year compared with 2007.Other manufacturers are expected to triple or quadruple the number of handsets equipped for fast internet access.
Mobile Today says the move from 3G to HSDPA is accelerating and that networks appear to be pulling back demanding that manufacturers remove WiFi connectivity from phones. Flat-rate data bundles have also increased demand for mobile internet use.
Samsung expects to release between 10 and 15 handsets with HSDPA and/or Wi-Fi this year. This compares to only four released last year.
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