In a short period of time, Internet and mobile technology have become a part of everyday life for a growing number of people in the emerging and developing world, says Derick Roberts, CEO of TruTeq Devices.
Mobile phones, in particular, are almost ubiquitous in many nations, while, at the same time, the Internet has also made tremendous inroads – although most people in the 24 nations surveyed are still offline, according to a recent survey by Pew Research.
Meanwhile, smartphones are still relatively rare, although significant minorities own these devices in countries such as Lebanon, Chile, Jordan and China and South Africa.
Roberts says people around the globe are using their cell phones for a variety of purposes, especially for texting and taking pictures, while smaller numbers also use their phones to get political, consumer and health information. Some are using their mobile devices for other sophisticated functions, such as running home alarm and security systems, remotely, from their mobile phones.
The survey also finds that using the internet – like many other forms of communication technology – is significantly more common among young people. In 14 of 24 nations, at least half of 18-29 year-olds report that they are online.
Roberts points out that Internet use is also tightly related to national income, with richer nations showing a higher percentage of internet users. More than half of the population in each of the nations surveyed say they own a cell phone. Roughly 90% or more own mobile phones in Jordan (95%), China (95%), Russia (94%), Chile (91%) and South Africa (91%).