2015: 40% of the world will be online

Two billion people worldwide were Internet users in 2010. By 2015, that will grow to 2.7 billion, according to IDC. That represents four in 10 humans projected to be on the planet in four years. By that time, more U.S. Internet users will access the Internet through mobile devices than through PCs or other wireline devices. An increase in smartphone and media tablet sales will drive this change, with mobile Internet access growing at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 16.6 per cent between 2010 and 2015 in the U.S. Canada, western Europe and Japan will see similar growth.

During this period, global business-to-consumer e-commerce spending will grow to US$1,285 billion from US$708 billion in 2010, with a CAGR of 12.7 per cent. Worldwide online advertising will increase to US$138 billion in 2015 from US$70 billion in 2010, with its share of total advertising across all media growing to 17.8 per cent from 11.9 per cent.

“Forget what we have taken for granted on how consumers use the Internet,” said Karsten Weide, research vice-president, media and entertainment. “Soon, more users will access the Web using mobile devices than using PCs, and it’s going to make the Internet a very different place.”

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