Buyers are getting full?
“Tough economic conditions, shifting consumer preferences and intense market competition weakened the worldwide mobile phone market this year,"
I don't understand how 'intense market competition' could weaken sales.
Eventually, perhaps soon, everybody who wants a feature/smart phone will have one and then the market will be limited to upgrades and replacements - until the 'next big must have thing' comes along.
It would be interesting to see figures for sales of second hand mobile phones, from eBay etc. to gauge the total number of people buying phones.