You did not need me to tell you that, I know. However, since IDC just raised its sales forecast for 2010 by a full 10 points, I thought you would like to know.

IDC now expects 269.6 million smartphones to be sold globally this year, up from just 173.5 million last year. The annual growth is estimated to reach 55.4%.

"The smartphone is the catalyst behind the rebound in the worldwide mobile phone market this year," said Kevin Restivo, senior research analyst with IDC's Worldwide Quarterly Mobile Phone Tracker. "Additional product introductions and an expected flurry of smartphone buying activity in the second half of the year will push the market well above previous expectations." For the first half of 2010, vendors shipped a total of 119.4 million units or 55.5% more than the 76.8 million units shipped during the first half of 2009.

Senior research analyst Ramon Llamas described Google's (Nasdaq: GOOG) Android as the wild card in this game. "Phone vendors have been drawn to Android because it allows them to present their own approach to what a smartphone experience can be," Llamas said. "In addition, users have quickly warmed to Android, comparing it to iOS due to its ease of use and a growing mobile application storefront. Now that HTC and Motorola (NYSE: MOT) have leapt out in front with their own respective devices, other vendors such as Dell (Nasdaq: DELL), Kyocera, LG Electronics, and Samsung will soon help grow the Android market."

IDC expects Symbian to keep the market lead at a share of 40.1%, with Research In Motion's (Nasdaq: RIMM) BlackBerry OS coming in as a second at 17.9%. Android and iOS will follow with 16.3% and 14.7%, respectively. Windows Mobile is estimated to capture 6.3% share.

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