People planning to recycle their mobile phone could be tempted to invest in an Apple iPhone after experts said they will become more and more widely adopted.

According to analysts from Piper Jaffray, the handset is likely to account for 15.9 per cent of the global smartphone market by the end of this year.

However, estimates published in a new report suggest that by 2012, this figure could go up to 17.6 per cent.

Forecasts also noted that Google will eventually overtake the iPhone's dominance in the sector with its Android operating system.

About 14.9 per cent of the smartphone market is currently controlled by Google.

Piper Jaffray estimates indicate that by 2012, its market share could exceed 23 per cent - more than the share occupied by Apple by this time.

This comes after Ludwig Makhyan of MobileInfos.com noted that smartphones, and the Apple iPhone in particular, "have emerged into the life of every person".