Forecast: Mobile web users to top 1 billion by 2013

The number of mobile web users worldwide will more than double from 450 million in 2009 to over a billion by the end of 2013, according to a new forecast issued by market intelligence firm IDC. While mobile Internet use currently mirrors conventional web surfing--search, messaging, multimedia downloads and news/sports information dominate--IDC anticipates that over the next four years, mobile users will increasingly embrace applications like online purchases, social networking and creating blogs. In addition, the forecast contends online business applications and corporate email systems will also surge as businesses empower their mobile workers.

"The number of mobile devices with Internet access has simply exploded over the last several years," said IDC chief research officer John Gantz in a prepared statement. "With a wealth of information and services available from almost anywhere, Internet-connected mobile devices are reshaping the way we go about our personal and professional lives. With an explosion in applications for mobile devices underway, the next several years will witness another sea change in the way users interact with the Internet and further blur the lines between personal and professional."

For more on the IDC forecast:
- read this release

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