While the number of mobile device owners who use their phone to access the Internet has quadrupled in the US, the number tripled in Western Europe over the past four years, according to a new report from Strategy Analytics.
The report "The Mobile Internet Usage Continues to Rise: Android Users Catching Up with Apple" said that martphone owners, who browse the Internet on their phones daily, are driving the increase in mobile internet usage.
The research firm said that in terms of volume, more consumers access the Web on mobile phones primarily via the cellular connection in both the US and Western Europe. This is because large numbers of non-Smartphone owners, who do not have WiFi enabled devices, are beginning to access the mobile Web.
Strategy Analytics director of user experience Paul Brown said the majority of respondents in both Western Europe and the US still spend more Web browsing time on their computers than on their mobile phones, with the majority of respondents spending less than 10 minutes per session browsing the mobile Web.
"Thus, mobile web browsing remains predominantly a snacking or time critical behavior, whereas the PC/laptop is used for more leisurely or intensive usage scenarios," Brown said.
