Phones like the Nokia N97 could boost the mobile sector

Smartphones like the Apple iPhone 3G and Nokia N97 could be among the many reasons why the mobile sector is well-equipped to ride out the current economic uncertainty, it has been suggested.

Reuters reports a spokesman for the GSM Association has confirmed his confidence in the abilities of the telecommunications industry to experience continued levels of growth at a time where other fields are struggling.

According to Robert Conway, chief executive officer of the organisation, mobile businesses and operators across the world could in fact be partially responsible for stimulating various ailing global economies.

He explained one of the reasons for this was the success of mobile equipped with technology that has traditionally been more associated with computing – such as the various applications available for the iPhone.

“We see the usage will continue to go up,” Mr Conway explained, adding the growth in sites like Facebook, MySpace and Twitter would also prove beneficial to the sector as a whole. “We are seeing the tip of an iceberg of usage of social networking via mobile.”

However, despite all of these things, it was noted “some contraction in overall revenue within the mobile industry” could be expected during the recession.

Earlier this month, Apple announced the latest version of its own flagship smartphone – the iPhone 3G S – would be equipped with technology that would make its various web applications faster.

The device was unveiled at the firm’s Worldwide Developers Conference in San Francisco.