While computers are the dominant Internet instrument today, mobile phones are quickly gaining ground with their wireless browsing capabilities.
When saying this we must realize that this is in reference to worldwide, not just nationally. In many areas of the world the mobile phone is the means that users perfer to access the Internet. This is because of the huge install base of mobile phones and the higher developed wireless networks they have.
Brian Cruikshank, senior vice president and managing director of Ipsos Insight's Technology & Communications says
"Accessing the Internet on a wireless handheld device is no longer a novelty for consumers in the major global economies. It's becoming a common, everyday occurrence for many people."
While growth is happening overall worldwide, in the U.S. and Canada things are pretty much flattening in mobile phone growth, where it is the access through notebook PCs that are becoming the device of choice for Internet access away from the home.
But in global markets is where the action is really happening in mobiles. For example France and the U.K. are showing the largest growth, and Japan is still growing strongly in mobile usage as 40% of adults use them to browse the Internet. This is double what it was in 2003.
Right now it is believed that in the U.S. things will take off in this area again when the data rates start to come down. At that time it is believed that there will be a huge rush to participate in mobile Internet use.
A lot of the mobile carriers are preparing for this by having pre-installed software and services already imbedded in the devices as this possible rush happens. Like we talked about in last post though, they have to be careful not to give too many options that will overload the users and cause a backlash.
What are your thoughts on this?
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