It’s no secret that smartphones and tablets are becoming increasingly popular.  These mobile devices allow for constant contact in todays on the go world.  The International Data Corporation (IDC) has released projections that by 2015 mobile internet usage will outnumber wireline usage.  This comes from the IDC’s Worldwide New Media Market Model (NMMM) citing that with the growing popularity of smartphones and tablets the amount of mobile internet users will grow annually by 16.6 percent from 2010 to 2015.

According to the report, the effect of increased smartphone and tablet usage will cause wireline internet to first level out and eventually begin declining.  This is not just a trend at home either, the report states that Western Europe and Japan are not trailing far behind the U.S. in mobile internet usage.  Across the globe mobile internet users will leap from 2 billion to 2.7 billion users from 2010 to 2015.

This trend offers both problems and solutions for brick and mortar as well as online businesses.  Projections show that ecommerce spending will skyrocket from $708 billion in 2010 to $1.2 trillion in 2015.  In correlation with these numbers online advertising is also forecasted to make a jump from $70 billion in 2010 to $138 billion in 2015.  KarstenWeide, research vice president for IDC’s media and entertainment division says, “Forget what we have taken for granted on how consumers use the Internet.  Soon, more users will access the Web using mobile devices than using PCs, and it’s going to make the Internet a very different place.”

In a recent report the Pew Research Center found that more Americans are using mobile devices and notebooks to access the internet now more than ever.  Almost half (47%) of adults are connecting to the internet through Wi-Fi and mobile broadband cards.  The report is based on Americans’ daily use of internet and found that non-voice data apps have grown exorbitantly in the past year.  Not surprisingly young adults ages 18 to 29 are the most prevalent users of mobile internet, but older adults are narrowing the gap.  The survey even shows that adults ages 30 to 49 are more likely than ever to use their mobile devices for text messaging, internet usage, pictures and video, and music.

The IDC provides internet usage data for over 40 countries.  It covers everything from consumer internet usage numbers, time spent online, business to business numbers, online advertising, consumer spending, and more.  The NMMM is published semi-annually as an Excel database and shows current market numbers and five year forecasts.

While the fact that smartphone usage has increased over the past few years is not surprising, how quickly they are taking over the internet market it.  This data shows that in just a few short years wireline internet may be a relic in a technology museum.  It is important for businesses and individuals to watch these trends to understand where social and economic trends are swaying.

On The GoWARE provides mobile app development and training services for Apple iPhone, iPad, Google Android, and BlackBerry platforms.