What an exciting world we live in today! Every direction you turn, business professionals and consumers alike are cutting landlines and trading their desktop computers for tablets and smartphones. Even my grandfather, a 75-year-old Italian immigrant and Korean War veteran, is now using his iPhone to send me pictures of his rose garden. I never thought the day would come…
But it has, and not just for me but for everyone! The “mobile shift” that we discussed in hushed tones last year, possibly in fear of it turning tail and crossing the Atlantic from whence it came, is now an undeniable paradigm switch that Nielsen has labeled a “Mobile Tsunami”.
Below are some of the latest mobile statistics that reflect just how drastically cell phones have permeated today’s America. Since outrunning a tsunami is borderline impossible, just sit back and let the waves of progress wash over you…
- USA cell phone penetration currently at 96%
- Up from 13% penetration in 1995
- 37% of all mobile subscribers have smartphones
- 40% of smartphone users have downloaded a QR code reader
- 49% of smartphone users who have seen a QR code have scanned it
- Average data usage is up almost 200% across the nation
- 230MB/month in 1st Quarter of 2010, 435MB/month in 1st Quarter of 2011
- Average data usage per user has increased 89% in last 12 months
- 582MB/month average for Android users, 492MB/month average for iPhone users
- Cost per unit of data had dropped 46% despite increased consumption
- Dropped from 14 cents per unit of data to 8 cents
Mobile statistic aggregators are also reporting fluctuations in more areas of the mobile industry than just data usage:
- Foursquare now has as many users as Bolivia has citizens (10 Million)
- 12% of U.S. internet population (ages 8-64) own a tablet
- 35% of new tablet owners report using their PC significantly less, or not at all
- 32% of laptop owners reported the same
- 96% of small business owners report that they would not be able to remain relevant without using mobile technologies
Feeling refreshed yet?!
(Data points above were collected from independent aggregators, not affiliated in any way with Goomzee. For citations or other bibliography-related inquiries, please email: asmith (at) goomzee (dot) com.)
- Austin Smith, Goomzee Community Manager
