Internet connected mobile devices such as smartphones and 3G enabled tablets will outnumber the world’s human population by the end of the year, a new study has found.
The latest figures, compiled by networking behemoth Cisco, have suggested that ever increasing popularity in internet connected smartphones and tablets, such as the iPad mini, Samsung Galaxy S3 and Google Nexus 4, will see the portable PC number more than 7 billion by the end of 2013.
With mobile data usage soaring a massive 70 per cent during 2012, the latest reports have suggested that mobile devices are fast on the rise with the number of mobile data enabled handsets, laptops and tablets to outnumber people by roughly 1.4-to-1 in the coming years.
“By the end of 2013, the number of mobile-connect devices will exceed the number of people on earth,” the Cisco report stated. “By 2017 there will be nearly 1.4 mobile devices per capita. There will be over 10 billion mobile-connected device in 2017.”
Just one of a number of staggering claims made by the newly published study, Cisco’s report has revealed that with just 1 per cent of mobile data subscriber responsible for generating 16 per cent of all mobile web traffic, mobile based internet usage now eclipses the global internet usage of just a decade ago.
“Last year’s mobile data traffic was nearly twelve times the size of the entire global internet in 2000,” the report stated. “Global mobile data traffic in 2012 (885 petabytes per month) was nearly twelve times greater than the total global internet traffic in 2000 (74 petabytes per month).
With the rise in 4G network connections further boosting the use of mobile data devices, Cisco has suggested that with smartphone usage continuing to rise, more users are moving to the Android operating system, with Google’s mobile OS not outperforming Apple in terms of mobile data usage.
“Average smartphone usage grew 81 per cent in 2012,” the company’s report stated. “Android is now higher than iPhone levels of data use. By the end of 2012, average Android consumption exceeded average iPhone consumption in the United States and Western Europe.”
How many internet connected mobile devices do you own? Are you contributing more than your fair share to the rise of mobile device takeover? Let us know via the TrustedReviews Twitter and Facebook feeds or through the comment boxes below.
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Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
