Mobile devices have become the primary gateway to the online world.
From browsing social media and shopping online to streaming videos and accessing information on the go, smartphones and tablets pave the way we engage with the internet.
The surge in mobile device usage has significantly impacted internet traffic patterns, making mobile access a critical factor for businesses and content creators alike.
By the end of 2024, it is expected that mobile devices will account for 60% of website traffic, while tablets will contribute 2.20%.
Keeping this in mind, let’s take a look at the latest statistics on internet traffic from mobile devices, highlighting current trends and projecting the growth in mobile internet usage over the coming years.
Key Statistics
- Mobile devices are expected to account for 60% of all internet traffic globally by the end of 2024.
- Mobile traffic in the US increased from 9.79% in 2012 to a projected 46.11% by 2024.
- Africa leads with 73.6% mobile traffic, followed by Asia at 69%.
- Nigeria has the highest mobile traffic share at 86.2%, followed by India at 78.6%.
- Mobile phones are used by 92.3% of internet users, with smartphones at 91%.
- Mobile data traffic increased from 9.68 EB in Q1 2017 to a projected 152.14 EB by Q4 2024.
- Android dominates the market with a 70.48% share, while Apple holds 28.8%.
- China leads in 5G adoption with 868 million connections, while the USA and Japan each have a 68% share.
- Gaming is the most popular mobile activity at 68%, followed by listening to music at 67%.
Internet Traffic From Mobile & Tablet Statistics
The data over the years clearly shows a significant increase in mobile traffic share globally.
As of 2024, it is expected that around 60% of internet traffic will come from mobile devices.
In 2012, only 11.75% of website traffic came from mobile devices, but this number has steadily risen, reaching 58.32% by 2022.
Despite a slight dip in 2023 to 55.29%, mobile traffic is projected to rebound to 59.80% by the end of 2024.
Below we have mentioned a table showcasing the growth of mobile internet traffic between 2011 and 2024.
| Year | Mobile traffic share Globally | Tablet traffic share Globally |
| 2012 | 11.75% | 1.41% |
| 2013 | 15.20% | 4.89% |
| 2014 | 26.16% | 6.39% |
| 2015 | 34.13% | 5.63% |
| 2016 | 42.57% | 5.14% |
| 2017 | 52.58% | 4.59% |
| 2018 | 51.78% | 4.12% |
| 2019 | 50.69% | 3.67% |
| 2020 | 51.81% | 2.65% |
| 2021 | 54.01% | 2.79% |
| 2022 | 58.32% | 2.55% |
| 2023 | 55.29% | 1.84% |
| 2024 (Expected) | 59.80% | 2.20% |
Mobile traffic in the United States has shown significant growth over the years. It was 9.79% in 2012 and increased to 40.19% by 2017. Mobile traffic peaked at 50.42% in 2022 but saw a decline to 35.53% in 2023.
By the end of 2024, it is expected to rise again to 46.11%.
| Year | Mobile Traffic share | Tablet Traffic share |
| 2012 | 9.79% | 2.17% |
| 2013 | 13.78% | 6.63% |
| 2014 | 23.29% | 8.83% |
| 2015 | 26.34% | 8.79% |
| 2016 | 31.24% | 8.54% |
| 2017 | 40.19% | 8.70% |
| 2018 | 40.72% | 7.67% |
| 2019 | 44.67% | 7.18% |
| 2020 | 47.72% | 4.64% |
| 2021 | 47.27% | 3.76% |
| 2022 | 50.42% | 3.15% |
| 2023 | 35.53% | 2.67% |
| 2024 (Expected) | 46.11% | 2.60% |
In Africa, mobile devices account for the highest share at 73.6%, followed by Asia at 69%.
Globally, mobile traffic stands at 55.7%.
South America sees a mobile traffic share of 59.5%.
North America has a lower share at 45.5%, with Oceania trailing at 44.3%.
| Region | Mobile Traffic |
| Africa | 73.6% |
| Asia | 69% |
| Global | 55.7% |
| South America | 59.5% |
| Europe | 52.6% |
| North America | 45.5% |
| Oceania | 44.3% |
Source: Statista
Nigeria leads with 86.2% of internet traffic coming from mobile devices, followed by India at 78.6%, and China at 62.8%.
On the lower end of the traffic, the United States has a mobile traffic share of 43.1%, Canada at 40.6%, and Japan at 36.6%.
| Country | Traffic Share |
| US | 43.1% |
| UK | 46.4% |
| Australia | 42% |
| Brazil | 53.3% |
| Canada | 40.6% |
| China | 62.8% |
| France | 48.1% |
| Germany | 46.3% |
| India | 78.6% |
| Japan | 36.6% |
| Nigeria | 86.2% |
| Singapore | 60.2% |
Source: StatCounter
Mobile phones dominate internet traffic, with 92.3% of users accessing the internet via these devices.
Specifically, 91% of users utilize smartphones for their online activities.
In contrast, feature phones contribute to a much smaller share, with only 5.2% of users using them for internet access.
| Device | Share of Users |
| Mobile phone (any) | 92.3% |
| Laptop or desktop (any) | 65.6% |
| Smartphone | 91% |
| Feature phone | 5.2% |
| Tablet device | 27.3% |
| Own laptop or desktop | 59.1% |
| Work laptop or desktop | 28.6% |
| Connected television | 31.9% |
| Smart home device | 15.4% |
| Games console | 12.7% |
Mobile Data Traffic in Exabytes
Mobile data traffic has seen exponential growth from Q1 2017 to Q4 2024.
Starting at 9.68 exabytes (EB) in Q1 2017, it increased to 39.56 EB by Q4 2019.
This upward trend continued, with traffic reaching 84.16 EB by Q4 2021, and further escalating to 118.21 EB by Q4 2022.
By Q4 2024, mobile data traffic is projected to hit 152.14 EB, highlighting the significant rise in data consumption over the years.
| Quarter, Year | Mobile Data Traffic in Exabytes |
| Q1 2017 | 9.68 EB |
| Q2 2017 | 10.63 EB |
| Q3 2017 | 11.69 EB |
| Q4 2017 | 13.6 EB |
| Q1 2018 | 15.94 EB |
| Q2 2018 | 18.37 EB |
| Q3 2018 | 21.78 EB |
| Q4 2018 | 26.54 EB |
| Q1 2019 | 29.02 EB |
| Q2 2019 | 32.66 EB |
| Q3 2019 | 36.49 EB |
| Q4 2019 | 39.56 EB |
| Q1 2020 | 45.16 EB |
| Q2 2020 | 50.03 EB |
| Q3 2020 | 54.79 EB |
| Q4 2020 | 58.44 EB |
| Q1 2021 | 66.14 EB |
| Q2 2021 | 72.2 EB |
| Q3 2021 | 77.81 EB |
| Q4 2021 | 84.16 EB |
| Q1 2022 | 92.75 EB |
| Q2 2022 | 100.42 EB |
| Q3 2022 | 107.58 EB |
| Q4 2022 | 118.21 EB |
| Q1 2023 | 126 EB |
| Q2 2023 | 133.86 EB |
| Q3 2023 | 143.14 EB |
| Q4 2024 | 152.14 EB |
Source: ComCom
Android leads the mobile operating system market with a share of 70.48%, followed by Apple at 29%.
| Rank | Device Type | Share |
| 1 | Android | 70.48% |
| 2 | Apple | 28.8% |
| 3 | Samsung | 0.37% |
| 4 | KAI | 0.14% |
| 5 | Other | 0.21% |
Sources: StatCounter
5G Adoption Statistics
China leads in 5G mobile connections with 868 million, making up 51% of its mobile connections.
The USA and Japan both have a 68% share of 5G connections, with 245 million and 136 million respectively.
South Korea has the highest 5G adoption rate at 73%, with 47 million connections.
| Country | 5G Mobile Connections | Share of 5G Mobile Connection |
| China | 868 million | 51% |
| USA | 245 million | 68% |
| Japan | 136 million | 68% |
| Germany | 67 million | 58% |
| South Korea | 47 million | 73% |
| UK | 45 million | 57% |
| France | 37 million | 49% |
| Canada | 20 million | 51% |
Internet Traffic Statistics By Activity
Gaming is the most popular mobile activity with 68% of users, followed closely by listening to music at 67%.
Social media use comes in at 63%, and streaming videos at 61%.
Payments via Google Pay or Apple Pay and reading magazines or newspapers each have a 33% share.
Only 3% of users reported not engaging in any of these activities.
| Activity | Share |
| Gaming | 68% |
| Listening to Music | 67% |
| Using Social media | 63% |
| Streaming videos | 61% |
| Making online purchases | 47% |
| Banking Activities | 47% |
| Shopping for Products | 42% |
| Booking food delivery | 41% |
| Work Related Activities | 38% |
| Transferring Money to Friends | 35% |
| Paying with Google Pay, Apple Pay, etc. | 33% |
| Reading Magazines or Newspapers | 33% |
| Using Medical or Fitness Services | 25% |
| Booking Taxi Rides | 22% |
| Controlling Smart Devices | 20% |
| None of the above | 3% |
