Touch-screens have been available for quite a while and it was the Apple iPhone that actually refocused the public eye on the touch-screen unlike never before.
In 2007, shipments of touch-screen mobile devices increased 91 percent, and ABI Research forecasts touch-screen mobile phones revenue will reach $5 billion in 09.
Kevin Burden, research director for ABI Research says, “Nearly all mobile handset manufacturers are getting into touch screens to a greater or lesser extent. The acceptance of touch screens to date has varied by geographic region, which has been a significant factor in determining the success of individual handset vendors.”
Source — ABI