Every year the reach of mobile expands and impacts our lives in more ways. The spread of mobile devices is changing not only consumer lifestyles, but also business strategy.
Although the industry is immense, it is not at all homogenous, with differing devices, networks, services and consumer behaviors throughout the world. This detailed report from Deloitte provides an interesting look at the current state and important trends in the global mobile industry.
Some of the main topics investigated included the diversity of devices, and the growing number of devices that people own or have access to. In fact, for many countries the average is more than 5 devices, and for some developing countries it is up to 8 devices.
Another key factor is the variation of mobile device ownership and usage by age, especially for the 55+ age group. In many developed countries fully a third of the over-18 population is over 55, and by 2050, 17 developed countries are expected to have a median age above 50.
Not only is the smartphone penetration for the 18 to 34 year old segment over twice that for the 55+ segment, but also the 55+ group uses less of the features of their device. The chart below looks at the percentage of smartphone owners that have never downloaded an app, and compares the over 55 group with the overall average.
The report also shows that tablet ownership is much closer between the age groups, indicating that perhaps the larger form factor device will be the preferred mobile platform for and aging population.
The survey covers many other topics, including the evolution and key trends in the area of messaging.
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