Smartphone shipments to overtake feature phones in Europe this year

The pull of Android and iOS will give smartphones 52 per cent of total mobile phone shipments.

IDC says feature phone shipments are on a steep decline across Western Europe with smartphone popularity growing among consumers.

The figures show that all smartphone shipments have grown by 48 per cent to 21.8 million units while feature phones are now down 29 per cent to 20.4 million units.

Its research also showed that Android is now the biggest smartphone OS, with 48.5 per cent of all shipments.

Overall however, the report says the mobile industry has declined three per cent year on year to 42.2 million units in the quarter across the west of the continent.

Francisco Jeronimo, European mobile devices research manager at IDC, said: "Smartphones now dominate the Western European phone market and those vendors with stronger portfolios in the segment are consolidating their positions, compared with those manufacturers with less attractive smart devices.