Samsung is readying a mobile phone running Google’s Android software to ship next year, said Senior Vice President Youngcho Chi.
Samsung expects mobile phone growth next year despite downturn, says Youngcho Chi
“I’m not going to tell you the date,” Chi said Monday at a company-sponsored Tech Forum. But he said at the San Francisco event that the use of Android is part of a push to double the number of phones developed next year with open – not proprietary – operating systems.
Chi said separately he expects a handset with a micro projector to reach the market early next year. The phone could be used at a business meeting to display a presentation or by a traveler to display a movie on the ceiling of a hotel, he said.
During a discussion of its mobile strategy, Samsung said it is seeing growing maturity in the handset market. The Korean manufacturer pointed to projections showing 1.5 billion mobile phones will be sold in 2013, representing only 4 percent annual growth from 1.2 billion units today.
In this environment, Samsung should continue to do well, Chi said. Growth this year should 20 to 25 percent and the company expects to meet its annual target of shipping 200 million units.
Despite the global downturn, Samsung continues to expect its phone business will grow next year, he added.
Posted by Mark Boslet 
