Smartphones outsell basic feature handsets

Smartphone sales exceeded feature phone sales for the first time in the April-to-June period, according to research firm Gartner.

Worldwide mobile phone sales totalled 435 million units. Smartphone sales accounted for 225 million units, up 46.5% from the previous year.

Feature phones totalled 210 million units, down 21%.

The highest smartphone growth rates came from Asia, Latin America and Eastern Europe, the firm said.

A smartphone is commonly defined as a device that has built-in applications and can connect to the internet.

In contrast, feature phones tend to perform fewer functions and are priced more cheaply.

However, a competing firm, IDC, said this milestone had already been reached in the first three months of 2013.