Since the days of the first Motorola Dyna TAC handheld phone released in 1983, cell phone sales have gradually exploded across global markets. Today, there are two mobile phones for every three people globally, according to the below infographic by mobile real-time answer aggregator chacha. Between 2004 and 2009, the amount of people with a cell phone doubled to reach 4.6 billion. In the Arab world, things continue to move particularly fast as well. With a mobile penetration rate of 109%, led by the Saudi market at 187.5%, the region is seeing some great opportunities for mobile advertising, app development, and telecoms services. Highlights include:
- Nokia sells a more mobile phones than any other company with about 36.6% global market share. Its closest competitor is Samsung with 21.8%.
- There is a cell phone provider available in almost every corner of the world.
- There are 370 times as many cell phones now as there were in 1990.
- 1.5 trillion Text messages were sent.
- Cell phone charges have decreased significantly in the past two decades; in 1990 the average monthly bill in the U.S. was $80.90, in 2009 it was $48.16.
