This document provides a summary of mobile device usage around the world based on data from 10 countries. It finds that:
1) Smartphone ownership varies widely, with over 65% of users in South Korea and China owning smartphones, compared to only 10% in India where feature phones dominate.
2) Younger users are more likely to own smartphones globally, while older users prefer feature phones.
3) The cost of mobile plans, especially data plans, varies significantly between countries and impacts smartphone adoption. Countries like India and Russia have higher smartphone bills and more limited networks.
2. 2 The Mobile Consumer: A Global Snapshot
MobileThe Next Media Powerhouse
When the first call was placed on a handheld mobile phone in 1973, the
prototype device used was capable of less than 30 minutes of battery life
and took 10 hours to re-charge. Fast-forward some 40 years later and
mobile device ownership has reached critical mass around the world.
Today, these devices serve as the primary communications and media
vehicles for many and play an increasingly important role in the daily
lives of consumers in both developed and high-growth economies.
To better understand today’s mobile world, we’ve selected data from the
following countries – Australia, Brazil, China, India, Italy, South Korea,
Russia, Turkey, the United Kingdom, and the United States – for an in-
depth look at mobile consumers and how they use their devices around
the globe.
3The Mobile Consumer: A Global Snapshot