According to a recent report from eMarketer, as consumers’ digital lifestyles become more multi-device experiences, said devices will play a larger role when it comes to internet usage in 2016. eMarketer finds that eight in ten people go online regularly, and 88.3% of US internet users will go online via desktop/laptop at least monthly in 2016, a decrease from 97.3% in 2011.
One in ten internet users will exclusively access the internet via a mobile device, and they are defined as mobile-only internet users.
Smartphone user base grew steadily at 8.7% this year, and they will make up four out of five mobile phone users in 2016. The steep increase of smartphone users has ended due to saturation, and any gains will be due to the increase in available low-cost smartphones and late adopters, especially adults age 55 and older.
In 2016, over half of Americans and nearly two-thirds of internet users will use a tablet. Tablet audience reached its peak growth in 2012, soaring 182.4%, but will expand only 4.7% this year.
However, eMarketer expects to continue to see year-over-year gains due to their usage in educational markets and enterprise, as well as improved features. A tablet user is defined not by someone who owns one, but any individual who uses a tablet at least once per month.
Want to know more? Check out the full eMarketer report here.
