It’s not really surprising to know that most of the internet traffic comes from mobile devices. Yet, I wouldn’t have believed this 10 or 15 years back. Sure, mobile devices were becoming popular, but the adoption rates had a sudden jump in the past decade. A quick analysis of statistics on internet traffic from mobile devices is capable of revealing the same impact. In this guide, I have listed some of these stats.
Some General Statistics on Mobile Device and Internet Usage
- According to records from 2024, 60.67% of traffic that websites get originates from mobile devices, not desktop ones.
- It is estimated that 5.3 billion people around the world use their smartphones and tablet devices to access the internet.
- In Africa, mobile devices have become the go-to option for accessing the internet, with a staggering 73.6% of users prefer mobile devices to desktop ones.
- Research indicates that 2025 will see a growth of 5G connections to a whopping 1 billion.
- The traffic contribution from mobile devices has almost tripled since 2014.
How Much Internet Traffic Is From Mobile Devices?
Let’s take a look at how mobile devices have changed the way people access the internet and services.
- While the number slightly differs, it is estimated that close to 60% of all internet traffic originates from mobile devices. Smartphones, tablets, and other internet-connected devices are responsible for this number.
- For reference, the percentage of internet traffic originating from mobile devices was only 10% in 2012, so the number has multiplied quite drastically over time.
- In India, the percentage of traffic coming from mobile devices is 78.6%, which is indicative of the increasing popularity and penetration of mobile devices.
- In general, Asia shows a trend where 69% of web traffic is from mobile devices.
- On the other hand, Africa is at the top, with 73.6% of web traffic coming from mobile devices.
- These numbers indicate that access to mobile devices, due to their easy availability and affordability, has been a factor boosting internet usage in these regions, especially after the increasing growth of connectivity options.
- The US mobile traffic share has been registered at 46.01%, indicating that half the internet users still use desktop/non-mobile devices to access the internet.
- The impact of internet-connected mobile devices has been the highest on platforms like YouTube and Instagram, where close to 80% of usage time is from mobile devices.
- There is no substantial correlation between the mobile penetration date and the traffic originating from mobile devices.
- Even though the US has the highest penetration rate for mobile devices, mobile-generated traffic from the US is comparatively lower.
Mobile Use and Internet Access by Region
- Though mobile devices have indeed become popular, they don’t have the same market penetration across all markets. As a result, mobile devices impact internet usage as well.
- It is estimated that 92.3% of global internet users will be accessing the web from their mobile devices by the end of 2024, considering that the numbers were quite the opposite ten years ago. This indicates the profound growth of mobile devices as well as their market penetration.
- Asia is one of the more prominent regions where people access the internet from mobile devices, with reports showing that 69% of internet traffic originating from Asia is from mobile devices.
- In particular, India sees 78.6% of internet traffic from mobile devices, while China reports 62.8% originating from these devices.
- Numbers are somewhat similar in Indonesia and the Philippines, where the smartphone penetration rates are 64.8% and 60.7%, respectively.
- As one would expect, the number of people accessing the internet from mobile devices is also higher in these countries.
- In North America, however, the situation is different, and the equal use of desktop devices is evident. It is reported that only 45.5% of traffic from North America originates from mobile devices.
- As for the division, the mobile traffic share of the United States is 46.01%, whereas the number of mobile traffic in Canada is 40.6%.
- In South America, the situation is different since the mobile traffic share is 59.5%, which is closer to the global numbers.
- In particular, we have the case of Brazil, where 53.3% of web traffic is from mobile devices.
- Europe’s numbers are similar to the ones we see in North America. An average of 52.6% of internet traffic is from mobile devices.
- The mobile traffic share for the UK, Germany, France, and Portugal is 46.6%, 46.3%, 48.1%, and 34.12%, respectively.
- Oceania, which is home to the two most popular markets, New Zealand and Australia, also has a lower mobile traffic share, which is averaged at 44.3%.
- Despite these changing numbers, the global market continues to see an increase in smartphones and smartphone users.
- It is estimated that 6.92 billion people will be using smartphones by the end of 2024. This means that 86.26% of the world’s population will be owning a smartphone.
- One can also understand that the majority of mobile-originated traffic comes from developing areas instead of developed ones.
- The mobile internet user penetration also shows similar patterns when considering a global scenario.
- Bahrain, UAE, Kuwait, and Singapore have the highest mobile internet user penetration rates, where 95 of every 100 residents use a mobile device with an internet connection.
- Even though the UK and Japan are on the list, they are in the last positions.
- However, one market from North America, Canada, occupies a top position, with a mobile internet user penetration rate of 95.21%.
- Unsurprisingly, countries like Bahrain, UAE, and Kuwait also have the top mobile internet speeds, with Qatar and UAE crossing 300Mbps.
Mobile Internet Usage Statistics
Here are some miscellaneous mobile internet usage statistics that you may find interesting.
- It is now estimated that an average smartphone user consumes around 21.1GB of data every single month. This could be split between Wi-Fi networks and cellular data.
- As of Q3 2023, the total amount of global mobile network data traffic is 143.13 Exabytes. However, even in Q3 2017, the number was only a mere 11.69 Exabytes. For reference, 1 Exabyte is 1,000,000 Terabytes.
- Different device manufacturers contribute different numbers to the overall traffic from mobile. For instance, Android is responsible for 70.48% of global mobile internet traffic, whereas Apple devices contribute 28.8%.
- However, devices running custom software, such as Samsung and KaiOS, are responsible for others.
- Even though internet-connected smartphones have risen in numbers, not all activities done through these devices are related to the Internet.
- For instance, 68% of users are reported to play games on their smartphones, and many of them are online multiplayer.
- However, one can also notice the increasing demand for e-commerce and finance apps, considering that mobile devices have become the quickest way to access bank accounts and beyond.
- Food-delivery applications are also driving the use of internet-connected smartphones and higher usage of mobile internet.
- Indonesia, Thailand, and the Philippines are the top three countries where most people use their mobile devices for e-commerce needs.
- It must be noted that 2.05% of all internet traffic originates from tablet devices, which are treated differently than smartphones.
5G Adoption Statistics
5G internet access has been one deterministic factor driving the demand for internet-connected devices. It is visible across multiple markets, including developed and developing ones. Here are some statistics on how 5G adoption is moving across the world.
- According to 2023, there are 1.1 billion 5G connections across the world.
- Market research indicates that the numbers will rise to 4.4 billion by the end of 2024.
- Out of the 1+ billion 5G connections available, 60% are from China, with the United States taking up the second position. This is followed by other developing 5G markets like Japan and India.
- The adoption rate of 5G connection is relatively higher in South Asia and other developing markets, such as South Korea.
- It is expected that Europe will have 400 million 5G connections by the end of 2026.
- On the other hand, India, a primary developing market, is expected to have 500 million connections by the end of 2027.
- The trends are also significant in Latin America, where there will be over 60 million 5G connections by the end of 2025.
- Australia had witnessed an increasing demand for 5G connections in the 2020s. The number of users had a 2x boost between 2021 and 2023.
- 5G smartphones have become the most-shipped smartphones in 2023, contributing to 70% of global shipments.
- 5G network connections are expected to have an average monthly data usage of 100GB by the end of 2025.
- Global statistics indicate that more than 240 mobile operators are offering 5G network services. Currently, there are 95 countries where 5G networks are available either partially or fully.
- It is estimated that 80% of the European population will have 5G connectivity by the end of 2025.
- In the U.S., the number of 5G towers is expected to reach 10,000 by 2025.
- In India, there will be 100,000 5G towers by the end of 2024.
- The situation in Japan is different, as the country aims for 90% 5G coverage by 2025.
- All state capitals in Brazil will also have 5G coverage by 2024.
- Saudi Arabia, an emerging market, has already achieved 45% 5G population coverage, reaching this milestone in 2023.
- Due to the increasing demand and availability of 5G connectivity, AR and VR services are also expected to experience a significant boost.
- This growth has a projected compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 43% between 2023 and 2027.
- Japan is expected to invest 10 trillion Yen by 2030. Most of this will be in infrastructure.
- Governments have received revenue of over $250 billion from 5G spectrum auctions in 2023 alone.
- Market research estimates that in 2030, there will be a growth of 5G and IoT devices to 80 million.
- The European Union is expected to spend close to 50 Billion Euros on 5G infrastructure growth.
- 5G technology will have a noticeable impact on the global economy by adding a value of $1.3 trillion by 2030.
- 2026 will expect to have close to 12 million connected vehicles, thanks to the use of 5G technology by automotive players.
Future of Mobile Internet Usage
Here are some numbers on the future of mobile internet usage.
- By 2027, the number of mobile internet users will pass 7.5 billion.
- As a result of this, the average mobile data traffic by month would reach 370 Exabytes per month by 2028, which is a 400% growth from 2024.
- By the end of 2025, 75% of mobile internet subscribers will be from developing markets.
- In 2030, 90% of the global population will have access to mobile broadband.
- By 2027, the average monthly mobile data usage on smartphones will be close to 50GB.
- Low-latency 5G connections will boost the growth of AR/VR services and games via smartphones and other smart devices.
- The average mobile download speeds will be close to 1 Gbps by 2030.
- By 2026, 70% of mobile traffic data will be contributed by video streaming.
- IoT devices connected to mobile devices are expected to surpass 25 billion by the end of 2030.
- 85% of smartphones will be 5G enabled by 2028.
Bottom Line
As you have seen, the world of internet-connected mobile devices keeps growing yearly. Although smartphones used to dominate this market, I can sense a noticeable shift towards IoT devices and smart vehicles. All these devices will significantly boost demand due to the rise of 5G connectivity options. In many ways, internet-connected smartphones can also deal with the digital divide, as illustrated by better engagement from developing markets, including but not limited to South Asia.
