The growth rate of the global smartphone market declines below ten percent this year

Growth in the global smartphone market is slowing, and will increase by just 9.8% this year — the first time growth has slowed into the single digits, IDC said Thursday.

Earlier IDC forecasts for 2015 had been higher, but a Windows Phone decline of 10.2% for the year will help drag down expected growth. That decline comes despite the launch of Windows 10 this past summer.

The forecast of 9.8% growth rate is still healthy, but represents a big change from recent years; smartphone shipments grew by 27.5% in 2014. (MTI)