In the Philippines, for example, those 34 and under are 47 percentage points more likely to have a smartphone today than those ages 50 and older – compared with a gap of only 23 percentage points in 2015.Įducation and income level also play sizable roles when it comes to explaining differences in technological use in most countries. Although the older age group is more likely to have phones now than they were a few years ago, the rate of adoption has been much faster among the younger age group. For example, while majorities of adults ages 50 and older own smartphones in many advanced economies, in no emerging economy surveyed do smartphone ownership rates among this older group rise above 35%.įurther, in most emerging economies, the age gap in smartphone ownership has been growing in recent years. In these countries, ownership rates across all age groups tend to be lower than those seen in advanced economies. In most emerging economies, however, patterns of smartphone ownership look quite different. For example, nine-in-ten or more Americans ages 34 and under have had a smartphone since 2015, while the ownership rate among the 50-and-older age group has risen from 53% to 67% over the same period. Second, the older age group appears to be steadily adopting smartphone technology. Two factors may contribute to this narrowing gap: First, those under 35 were already very likely to own smartphones when asked in 2015, presenting a “ceiling” of sorts. However, in many of these advanced economies, the age gap in smartphone ownership has been closing since 2015. In contrast, smartphone ownership among advanced economies’ older populations varies widely, ranging from just about a quarter of Russians 50 and older to about nine-in-ten older South Koreans. In all of the advanced economies surveyed, large majorities under the age of 35 own a smartphone. 1 2 Younger people in every country surveyed are much more likely to have smartphones, access the internet and use social media. Whether in advanced or emerging economies, younger people, those with higher levels of education and those with higher incomes are more likely to be digitally connected.
Among the surveyed countries, ownership is lowest in India, where only 24% report having a smartphone.Ĭountries are grouped into two economic categories, “advanced” and “emerging,” based on multiple sources and criteria, including: World Bank income classifications per capita gross domestic product (PPP) total size of the country’s economy, as measured by GDP and average GDP growth rate between 20. In emerging economies, too, smartphone ownership rates vary substantially, from highs of 60% in South Africa and Brazil to just around four-in-ten in Indonesia, Kenya and Nigeria.
While around nine-in-ten or more South Koreans, Israelis and Dutch people own smartphones, ownership rates are closer to six-in-ten in other developed nations like Poland, Russia and Greece. Smartphone ownership can vary widely by country, even across advanced economies. For example, a median of 76% across 18 advanced economies surveyed have smartphones, compared with a median of only 45% in emerging economies. People in advanced economies are more likely to have mobile phones – smartphones in particular – and are more likely to use the internet and social media than people in emerging economies. But the growth in mobile technology to date has not been equal, either across nations or within them. Today, it is estimated that more than 5 billion people have mobile devices, and over half of these connections are smartphones. Mobile technology has spread rapidly around the globe. A farmer takes a selfie with a smartphone at a rally in Jaipur, India.
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