Smartphones have become an indispensable tool for millions of people around the world, but do you know exactly how many there are? A report published by the GSMA Association, which represents global mobile phone network operators, reveals that more than half of the world’s population owns a smartphone and that the digital divide continues to be a problem.
This means that more than 4.3 billion people use these devices, a number that has increased by 9% since last year. The report also shows that the number of mobile phone connections exceeds 10 billion connections, meaning that on average each person has more than one mobile device.
The report also indicates that the number of mobile connections exceeds 10 billion, meaning that each person on average has more than one mobile device. However, there are significant differences between regions, with Europe and North America having the highest smartphone penetration rates, at 76% and 74% respectively, while Sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia have the lowest rates, at 26% and 29% respectively.
However, the growth of mobile internet adoption slowed down last year, and there are still significant digital divides. Despite the benefits of connectivity, 38% of the world’s population live within mobile broadband coverage but do not use it. Additionally, 5% of the population is still not covered by mobile broadband – a coverage gap. These gaps particularly affect low- and middle-income countries, where the recent COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated the effects of digital exclusion.
The GSMA report analyzes the key factors affecting mobile internet adoption, using the Mobile Phone Connectivity Index, a tool that measures the performance of 170 countries, representing 99% of the world’s population. it also examines the main enabling factors for mobile internet adoption: infrastructure, affordability, consumer readiness, and content and services.
Among these factors, the report highlights that the type of device used to connect to the internet varies significantly by region. For example, in Sub-Saharan Africa, 63% of internet users connect with basic or feature phones, while in Europe and Central Asia, 93% do so using smartphones. The type of device affects the quality and quantity of internet usage, as well as the opportunities and benefits that can be obtained.
Other relevant factors include the content and services available online, which must be relevant, useful, and engaging to potential users. The report also points out that language is a major barrier to accessing content, with only 5% of web content available in the top ten most used languages in the world. In addition, there is a lack of local content that adapts to the needs and cultural preferences of different markets.
