The number of smartphone users in the world exceeded the 2 billion mark for the first time last year.
At the end of December there were 2.1 billion smartphone owners, according to new research published by Strategy Analytics on Wednesday. That means 29.6% of the world’s population had a smartphone a t year-end.
The population will edge up to 7.2 billion from7.1 billion this year, but smartphone users will grow at a faster rate, Strategy Analytics predicts. By the end of 2015 the analyst firm expects there will be 2.5 billion smartphone users globally.
There were 1.5 billion smartphones at the end of 2013, when the population stood at 7 billion.
"The smartphone has become one of the most widespread electronic devices of all time," said Neil Mawston, executive director at Strategy Analytics, in a statement. "
"The smartphone is ubiquitous and it is rapidly evolving to become a central hub for controlling consumers’ daily lives in the home, car and office of the future," he said.
