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| Nearly Half of Global Population Continues to Lack Smartphone Access Study Shows. |
"In 2023, GSMA's Mobile Internet Connectivity Report reveals that 55% of the global population, around 4.3 billion people, own smartphones. Among 4.6 billion mobile internet users,4 billion access services via smartphones.
Disparities persist, with 69% in North America and East Asia using 4G, while Sub-Saharan Africa and the Middle East rely heavily on 3G.
Despite rapid mobile internet growth, 3.4 billion people lack access. In Sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia, 59% and 52% are offline. Additionally, 600 million (8% of the world) use feature phones due to digital skills, literacy, safety, and content barriers.
GSMA's Director General, Mats Granryd, stressed the impact of this connectivity gap on essential services and income opportunities, particularly affecting disadvantaged, less educated, rural, and female users."
