With 5G technology being rolled out across the globe and the COVID-19 pandemic reshaping the way we view mobile communication; mobile internet is in a peak state of growth. Developers are responding to shifting technological demands, and the rate of mobile consumption has reached unprecedented levels. This, combined with the ever-increasing portability of smart devices, has led to on-the-go connectivity emerging as the new norm.
By 2020, mobile internet made up roughly 60 percent of the total regional web traffic in Africa and Asia. While the market is nearing saturation in Europe and North America, the industry appears to be booming in previously lesser-connected nations. With mobile devices now costing a fraction of what they used to, this increased affordability coupled with the rapid expansion of network infrastructure in developing nations could signal plenty of room for future growth within these regions.
Mobile internet usage worldwideThe number of mobile app downloads worldwide has risen steadily, reaching an impressive 204 billion downloads in 2019 – a near 50 percent growth since 2016. As the ownership of tablets, wearable tech and smartphones continues to rise in many parts of the world along with the constant emergence of new technologies, mobile app development is thriving. As app technology improves, global app expenditure by consumers is also growing.
Mobile app usageIn recent years, the mobile operating system space has been a battlefield between two giants – iOS and Android. Despite the financial success of Apple’s iOS, Android is more popular because it is the default on cheaper mobile devices. While it may be arguable which platform is the better of the two, Android has dominated the landscape for the last eight years, laying claim to a substantial 73 percent of the global market at the end of 2020.
Mobile app consumer spending worldwide, by storeAs the ownership of smart devices becomes increasingly commonplace – particularly in affluent regions, individuals are more likely to surf the web, log on to social media, or communicate with others whilst watching TV. Over two-thirds of people in the US, the U.K. and Germany use other devices while watching television.
Second screen usageThe COVID-19 pandemic saw a surge in the download of medical mobile apps. This was most noticeable in South Korea, which experienced a 135 percent growth in medical app downloads between January 2020 and the peak month of the pandemic. India, with a 90 percent growth followed close behind. On average, medical apps saw a 65 percent growth worldwide during this period.
Coronavirus impact on media consumption worldwideStatista offers comprehensive data on the rapidly changing mobile internet industry. In this section, users can find an overview of the number of mobile internet users, global and regional mobile internet penetration rates, and other relevant insights into the current state of mobile internet adoption.
The database contains a wide range of statistics on mobile internet usage, including user demographics and survey data on popular smartphone activities. Statista also provides market shares for leading mobile operating systems and identifies the world’s most popular apps and app stores based on app store revenues, mobile app downloads, and mobile advertising revenues alike.
Mon - Fri, 9am - 6pm (EST)
Mon - Fri, 11:30am - 10pm (IST)
Mon - Fri, 9:30am - 5:30pm (JST)
Mon - Fri, 9:30am - 5pm (GMT)
Mon - Fri, 9am - 6pm (EST)
