Mobile Internet Usage Skyrockets in Past 4 Years to Overtake Desktop as Most Used Digital Platform

Mobile devices have quickly become our go-to for a whole range of digital services that we rely on every day. This might include booking a ride with Uber, listening to a favorite Pandora station, or even perusing potential romantic interests on dating app Tinder. Mobile has quickly moved from being just another way to consume content to a platform that helps us accomplish more all day, every day.

While the desktop computer is of course still relevant, digital media consumption on mobile devices has truly skyrocketed in the past several years. Take a look:

Smartphone usage is up 394 percent, and tablet usage is up a whopping 1,721 percent as these platforms now combine to account for 60 percent of digital media time spent. Why the massive jumps? More than 75 percent of all Americans who use the Internet (age 18+) now access digital content on both desktop and mobile devices, which is an increase from 68 percent from a year ago.

Mobile-only internet usage is also becoming more common, driven predominantly by Millennials, of which 21 percent are no longer using desktop computers to go online. Meanwhile, the 55-years-and-older consumer segment is actually the fastest growing faction of mobile users, increasing its combined multi-platform and mobile-only share of audience from 60 percent to 74 percent in the past year.

For the latest facts and figures about what’s happening not just with mobile but social, search, video, e-commerce and more, download our brand new Digital Future in Focus report.