One billion cellphones sold in 2006

That's amazing news, yes, one billion shipped just for 2006.

NEW YORK (AP) - Cell phone makers shipped more than 1 billion handsets for the first time in 2006, driven by a strong holiday season in which shipments rose nearly 20 percent to a record 295 million devices, the technology research firm IDC reported Thursday.

The two biggest suppliers posted strong gains to boost their market shares in the quarter, with No.2 Motorola Inc. (MOT) tightening the gap slightly with industry leader Nokia Corp. (NOK) However, profit margins declined for both companies.

The fourth-quarter activity drove the year's total shipments to 1.02 billion phones, up 22.5 percent from the 2005 tally of 833 million units.

Emerging markets became a bigger factor in the industry's growth in 2006, accounting for more than half of all shipments.

Just remember that if you were one of those billion to get a new phone this year, to consider donating it to one of the many great organizations out there that would be happy to have that old phone, such as battered women shelters and elderly people....