Gartner is expecting mobile device sales to pick up in 2010 after remaining virtually flat in 2009. I guess with many predicting the recession is over, even though it will be a jobless recovery, people will start replacing phones they've held onto, either out of necessity or to get the latest gadget they've had their eye on.In 2009, sales were actually down 0.67 percent to 1.214 billion devices world wide. This includes smartphones, feature phones and low end dumb phones according the report that V3 has. For most readers of this blog, the smartphone numbers are the most interesting. Gartner is predicting that smartphones will make up 19 percent of phone sales in 2010 and will experience a slight average price decline of three percent.

Going beyond 2010, smartphones are projected to makeup 26 percent and 32 percent of phone sales in 2011 and 2012 respectively. Driving this will be the lower prices smartphones will command. Even this year, you could get a Palm Pixi for under $50 at some locations. I'd be willing to bet we'll see at least one smartphone given away free with a contract in 2010.

People are also increasingly interested in the features that allow them to access Facebook, Twitter, Google Maps as well as other location based service or social networks. There are some feature phones that can do one or more of these, but most smartphones can do all of these as well as the basics like email, music, video and more. The application stores are also being advertised on TV which highlights the versatility of the devices. If I had to guess, I'd say Gartner forecast is going to be under where the smartphone's share in two to three years will actually be.