87% of internet users now have a smartphone

To mark the start of Mobile World Congress, this week’s first chart draws on data from our new GWI Device report (download a free summary here) to look at smartphone ownership levels.

Our latest wave of research marks the first time that smartphones have come close to overtaking PCs/laptops, with 87% of online adults now having one. Considering the relatively short period of time for which smartphones have been available, that they are now virtually equal with PCs/laptops underlines just how quickly the mobile internet has transformed online behaviors.

However, this is a trend which remains subject to regional variation. In APAC, Middle East/Africa and LatAm, digital consumers are already more likely to own a smartphone than a PC/laptop. It’s only in Europe and North America where smartphones continue to lag behind but, even here, it’s a case of when, rather than if, the mobile-first internet landscape will arrive.