66.5% of individuals in key digital markets will have a smartphone by the end of 2018, according to ZenithOptimedia, with the figure set to reach 55.7% this year.
Of the 47 markets studied, Singapore has the highest level of smartphone penetration at 89% at the end of last year, with ZenithOptimedia forecasting this to leap to 97% by 2018 as the government pushes ahead with its plan for universal Wi-Fi access.
Spain and Ireland follow close behind, with 86.7% and 83% penetration in 2014 respectively, with the other top 10 countries – also all in Asia Pacific and Western Europe: South Korea, Norway, Japan, Austria, Sweden, the Netherlands and Hong Kong.
Switzerland, Australia and Denmark are predicted to enter the top 10 by 2018, at the expense of Japan, Sweden and the Netherlands.
UK penetration is currently at 51% and is expected to reach 65.3% in the next three years.
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Tablets are also growing in popularity, with penetration rising from 5.3% in 2012 to 14.8% in 2014. This is expected to reach 19.8% in 2018.
Hong Kong leads the way with 77% penetration in 2015, expected to increase to 91% in 2018, followed by Singapore (64% in 2014; 82% expected in 2018).
“The rapid spread of mobile technology is transforming media consumption and marketing communication across the world,” said Jonathan Barnard, ZenithOptimedia’s head of forecasting.
“For more and more people, their smartphone or tablet is the first place they look for information or entertainment. Marketers need a mobile-first approach to communicate with these people effectively.”
The latest forecast also reveals that the growth of global internet users is slowing down. ZenithOptimedia estimates that there will be 1.9 billion internet users at the end of this year, up 3.9% year on year and representing approximately 60% of all internet users across the globe.
The annual growth rate has fallen from 7.9% in 2011, when there were 1.5 billion internet users in these markets, and is expected to drop to 2.5% in 2018, when there will be 2 billion users.
