Smartphone market gets busy signal

China's smartphone market experienced its first slowdown in the fourth quarter of 2013, signaling the world's top smartphone market may have become saturated and that fiercer-than-expected competition is emerging.

After nine consecutive quarters of explosive growth, the smartphone market suddenly halted its upward trend, posting a 4.3 percent drop in shipments in the fourth quarter, according to research firm International Data Corp.

The 90.8 million smart- phones shipped in the fourth quarter slipped from 94.8 million units in the previous quarter. Several factors drove the stumble, IDC pointed out.