Mobile units have reached saturation in the US, In-Stat says. That, coupled with evidence that consumers are not spending as much on new phones, and that new "must-have" features are few and far between, may lead to the worst year yet for the industry, MediaBuyerPlanner reports.

Most cell phones already have a camera, are web-enabled and work on 3G networks, says Allen Nogee, In-Stat analyst. "There’s not much more you can do in terms of user interface anymore," he stated.

While the adoption of mobile phones is slowing, the mobile industry continues to witness the growing popularity of smartphones, according to a study from comScore (via MarketingCharts). Subscriptions to smartphones increased more than 100% during 2008. Globally, more than 1.2 billion cell phones were shipped 9n 2008. That number is expected to drop to about 900 million this year, per In-Stat.

"While the cell phone industry has generally been unaffected by economic ups and downs, the near future is different," said Nogee. "The current economic slowdown is more widespread and deeper than ever experienced during the cell phone’s lifetime, and has spread through Europe, Asia, and North America."

Mobile internet use, however, is on the rise; 2009 is expected to be a record-breaking year in terms of the mobile internet, with penetration and engagement continuing to soar, which will provide more opportunities for advertisers and marketers.