In just four years’ time, there will be far more mobile devices than human beings on the planet, according to new research by IT giant Cisco.
By 2016, it estimates there will be 10 billion smartphones, tablets and mobile devices across the world – by far outnumbering the estimated 7-billion population of planet Earth.
A world of many gadgets.
The predicted boom in technology is being put down to people becoming multi-gadget owners. Smartphone ownership has rocketed in recent years but, for many people, it’s still their only access to the mobile internet.
In the future, many of use are likely to have a gadget collection, adding tablets, eReaders and other mobile internet devices to our essential kit for day-to-day life.
By 2016, a quarter of mobile users will have more than one mobile-connected device, and 9% will have three or more mobile-connected devices, the research found.
Some more intriguing facts.
Those stats aren’t too hard to believe when you consider how mobile internet usage has exploded in recent years. The research also revealed:
- In 2011, global mobile data traffic more than doubled for the fourth year in a row.
- Last year's mobile data traffic was eight times the size of the entire global internet in 2000.
- Average smartphone usage nearly tripled in 2011.
- Last year, the number of mobile-connected tablets tripled to 34 million.
And the next big thing?
When it comes to what we’ll be doing on our mobile devices, it seems video is leading the way.
Based on current trends, the research says that video will account for two-thirds of the world’s mobile data traffic by 2016 – a 24-fold increase on today.
So if you’re thinking about investing in a new addition to your gadget collection, now’s the time: just make sure you’re not left behind.
