Some China-based handset suppliers are still ramping sales of feature phones at lower prices to emerging markets where demand for such devices remains strong due to insufficient next-generation mobile communication networks and lower purchasing power, according to trade sources.

At the recently concluded Hong Kong Electronics Fair 2016 (Spring Edition), China-based vendors were showcasing feature phones equipped with MediaTek's MT6261D processors and 2.4-inch QVGA displays at ex-factory prices of US$10-12, the sources revealed.

The exhibitors were also offering 1.7-inch models at about US$8, much lower than ex-factory prices of about US$50 for an entry-level smartphone.

According data released by market research firms, global handset shipments totaled two billion units in 2015, 1.4 billion units of which were smartphones, indicating that there is still sizeable demand for feature phones, the sources noted.