(Telecompaper) IDC has cut its forecast for global smartphones sales this year, due to the slowdown in China. It now expects annual growth of 10.4 percent to shipments of 1.44 billion smartphones, down from its previous forecast of 11.3 percent growth in 2015. China is the world's largest smartphone market, good for almost a third of phones sold last year. However, growth in China is expected to slow to just 1.2 percent this year, from 19.7 percent in 2014, as the market matures in line with the pattern seen in many Western countries. China is expected to still remain the largest market for smartphone volumes throughout IDC's forecast period, but its share will fall to an estimated 23.1 percent in 2019 as other markets like India continue to expand.