Cell phones equipped with applications such as web browser, global positioning system and multimedia function are getting popular among Chinese consumers.

A survey released Thursday by the CCID Consulting showed that 31,668 people had been interviewed and 37 percent of them would like to choose cell phones with which they can surf online when they intended to buy a new one, while 33 percent hoped they could get one with the GPS function, a helpful tool to China's increasing car owners.

More than 20 percent, mainly the young generation who put pieces of music in their cell phones and use it as a music player, said they would like one having a large storage disk.

A similar proportion said they would use their new mobile phone to chat with online friends.

CCID Vice President Lu Guoying estimated that Chinese mobile phone market will see booming purchase from 2008 to 2010, when many Chinese consumers change their cell phones for new ones. "It is an opportunity for mobile phone companies to raise their market share," said Lu.

China is expected to manufacture 500 million sets of mobile phones in 2007, with 150 million to be sold in domestic market.

(Xinhua News Agency November 30, 2007)