Mobile To Surpass Wired Internet Connections

Forty percent of the world's population will have access to the Internet by 2015, according to a new forecast released this week by market research firm IDC. But the way they access it is shifting drastically, particularly in the United States, Western Europe, and Japan, as media tablets and smart phones begin to take the place of the traditional PC.

In fact, in the United States, more people will access the Internet through their mobile devices than through wired connections by 2015, IDC reported.

IDC researchers said smart phones and media tablets are driving these huge increases in wireless Internet connections and predicted a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of mobile Internet users of 16.6 percent from 2010 to 2015

The forecast, part of IDC's Worldwide New Media Market Model, also predicted that the "impact of smartphone and, especially, media tablet adoption will be so great that the number of users accessing the Internet through PCs [in the United States] will first stagnate and then slowly decline." The report also said Western Europe and Japan would follow closely behind the United States in this trend.

"Forget what we have taken for granted on how consumers use the Internet," said IDC Research Vice President Karsten Weide in a statement released Monday. "Soon, more users will access the Web using mobile devices than using PCs, and it's going to make the Internet a very different place."

IDC's Worldwide New Media Market Model tracks consumer Internet trends and user data across 40 countries. Additional details about the Worldwide New Media Market Model can be found on IDC's site.

About the Author

David Nagel is the former editorial director of 1105 Media's Education Group and editor-in-chief of THE Journal, STEAM Universe, and Spaces4Learning. A 30-year publishing veteran, Nagel has led or contributed to dozens of technology, art, marketing, media, and business publications.

He can be reached at [email protected]. You can also connect with him on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidrnagel/ .


Featured

  • AI-powered individual working calmly on one side and a burnt-out person slumped over a laptop on the other

    AI's Productivity Gains Come at a Cost

    A recent academic study found that as companies adopt AI tools, they're not just streamlining workflows — they're piling on new demands. Researchers determined that "AI technostress" is driving burnout and disrupting personal lives, even as organizations hail productivity gains.

  • AI microchip under cybersecurity attack, surrounded by symbols of threats like a skull, spider, lock, and warning shield

    Report Finds Agentic AI Protocol Vulnerable to Cyber Attacks

    A new report from Backslash Security has identified significant security vulnerabilities in the Model Context Protocol (MCP), technology introduced by Anthropic in November 2024 to facilitate communication between AI agents and external tools.

  • laptop displaying a red padlock icon sits on a wooden desk with a digital network interface background

    Reports Point to Domain Controllers as Prime Ransomware Targets

    A recent report from Microsoft reinforces warns of the critical role Active Directory (AD) domain controllers play in large-scale ransomware attacks, aligning with U.S. government advisories on the persistent threat of AD compromise.

  • educators seated at a table with a laptop and tablet, against a backdrop of muted geometric shapes

    HMH Forms Educator Council to Inform AI Tool Development

    Adaptive learning company HMH has established an AI Educator Council that brings together teachers, instructional coaches and leaders from school district across the country to help shape its AI solutions.