1 in every 5 mobile phones are fake, hurting Nokia and other big vendors

The world top mobile phone maker Nokia said that one out of every 5 cell phones sold worldwide are illegal or unlicensed copycats which damages the position of leading vendors in emerging markets.

"It is mostly China-originated, but it is global. It is not only in Asia, but also in Latin America and even in some parts of Europe," said Esko Aho, a member of Nokia's executive board.

In the third quarter the sales of cell phones increased 35% boosted by a rapid growth of no-brand manufacturers and increasing smartphones popularity, according to Gartner. It raised its outlook for growth in 2010, which it forecast would top 30 percent. Gartner estimated grey market share had increased to even above 20 percent, but many other market followers have doubted the estimate.