Mobile Internet usage surpasses desktop usage worldwide

Internet use over a tablet or other mobile device has exceeded Internet use over a desktop for the first time worldwide, a new study finds. StatCounter, a San Francisco- and Dublin-based research organization found that mobile devices accounted for 51.3 percent of global Internet usage in Oct. 2016, while desktop Internet usage was 48.7 percent in the same month.

The United States has not yet crossed the threshold where mobile usage surpasses desktop usage, but it’s not far off. In Oct. 2016, StatCounter found that mobile usage accounted for 42 percent of Internet usage in the United States, while desktop Internet usage was 58 percent in the same month.

“Despite the rapid growth of mobile devices,” the report’s author wrote, “desktop is still the primary mode of internet usage in mature markets such as the US and UK.”

While the trends certainly indicate a more wireless future, it’s important to remember two facts: first, all wireless traffic is offloaded onto a wireline network; and second, at present mobile service is no substitute for wired service. There are important tasks like applying for a job or completing a homework assignment that are still difficult to do on a mobile device or tablet. People must have access to high-speed wired and wireless devices to utilize the full potential of broadband connectivity.

Link:

Mobile and tablet internet usage exceeds desktop for first time worldwide (StatCounter, Nov. 1, 2016)