Analyst Michael Morgan said he expects about 300 million handsets that provide dual wireless capability for cellular and Wi-Fi to ship during 2011, up from about 144 million expected to ship this year.

Morgan added that he expects about 85 million Wi-Fi-capable smartphones to ship globally this year -- of 170 million total smartphones. The Wi-Fi-capable smartphones include and other popular offerings. Morgan noted that the number of smartphones shipped is expected to grow by about 20% each year for the next several years, and predicted that fully 90% will have Wi-Fi capability by 2014.

"A doubling of Wi-Fi enabled cell phones in two years is ridiculously high," Morgan said. "Wi-Fi has become a must-have item much as Bluetooth did earlier."

Part of the value of having a Wi-Fi handset these day is that the number of hot spots in coffee shops and other buildings is exploding while more and more homes and even planes support the technology, he noted. Eight U.S. Wi-Fi access on more than 500 flights, with the number expected to grow to entire carrier fleets in two years.

Following , made 30,000 Boingo Wireless Wi-Fi hot spots available to some 9 million of its residential customers on certain plans.