As if Smartphone prices were not already astronomically high, the European Commission has announced today plans that would tax ‘certain smartphones’.  The information comes direct from Reuters from a proposal issued by the EU last week and would classify “sophisticated” phones as “multi-function devices” effectively subjecting them to custom duties (i.e. taxes).  Now this is where the punishment begins to hit home: mobile phones with built-in TV receivers would be taxed up to 14 percent and devices with GPS 3.7 percent.  The scope of the proposed taxation does not end there folks, devices with QWERTY keyboard and advanced camera would also be targeted by these taxes, although exact rates have not been disclosed at this time.  With mobile phone sales set to decline approximately 9 percent in Western Europe, the addition of a mobile phone tax would clearly anger handset manufacturers.  The bottom line is that now is the most important time for manufacturers to reduce prices and begin to target mainstream consumers with value-driven devices that deliver more functionality at a lower cost to consumers.  So how far off is this proposed tax hike?  According to Maria Assimakopoulou, spokeswoman for EU Tax Commissioner Laszlo Kovac no decision was imminent and the discussions around the taxes would take at least six months. [Reuters]