Mobile internet usage is expected to continue to increase over the next few years, accounting for 75% of all global internet usage by next year, according to a new report.
Zenith’s new Mobile Advertising Forecast report, which looks at trends across 60 different countries, has revealed that internet usage on mobile devices is expected to jump from 68% this year to 75% in 2017.
This figure sat at 40% in 2012, and is predicted to hit 78% in 2018.
The number of people using smartphones has risen dramatically over the past few years, with 56% of consumers now owning a smartphone, compared to 23% in 2012.
Jonathan Barnard, the Head of Forecasting at Zenith, said: “Mobile devices are already the primary means of accessing the internet across the world.
“Countries in Western Europe, Asia and North America are leading the transition, but mobile technology is spreading rapidly everywhere. Next year mobile devices will become the main vehicle for internet advertising as well.”
Mobile usage is biggest in areas like Spain, where it is expected to account for 85% of all online usage this year, closely followed by Hong Kong (79%) and China (76%).
However by 2018, Zenith predicts Hong Kong’s mobile internet usage will rise to 89%, China to 87% and Spain to 86%.
In terms of adspend, Zenith expects mobile advertising expenditure to hit as much as $134bn in 2018, accounting for 60% of all adspend, up from 52% this year.
This will exceed the amount of money predicted to be spent on newspaper, magazine, outdoor and cinema advertising combined in 2018.
As a result, Zenith is advising brands to turn their focus onto mobile and consider the fact that consumers regularly use more than one device over the course of the day.