Qualcomm said that the average price of a WCDMA handset will likely rise from $212 to $215. The company lowered its estimate of the number of WCDMA handsets expected to ship this year from 50 million to 45 million, although Qualcomm did not cite phone prices for the decreased shipments. Nokia also said that prices of 3G phones are up. This news raises the issue of 3G phone prices. Analysts and industry insiders agree that 3G phones must be cheaper if they are to sell with mainstream consumers. 3G handset prices, however, are still too high and show no sign of dropping in the near term.
For more on the cost of 3G phones:
- view this piece from CNET