Mobile technology, internet and social media use more common in advanced economies % of adults who
Mobile technology has spread rapidly around the globe. Today, it is estimated that more than 5 billion people have mobile devices, and over half of these connections are smartphones. But the growth in mobile technology to date has not been equal, either across nations or within them. People in advanced economies are more likely to have mobile phones – smartphones in particular – and are more likely to use the internet and social media than people in emerging economies. For example, a median of 76% across 18 advanced economies surveyed have smartphones, compared with a median of only 45% in emerging economies.
Mobile technology, internet and social  | media use more common in advanced  | economies  | % of adults who  | Advanced economies  | Emerging economies  | 94%  | Own a  | mobile phone  | 83%  | 76  | Own a  | smartphone  | 45  | 90  | Use the  | internet  | 60  | 67  | Use social  | media  | 49  | Note: Internet users are defined as people who say they use the  | Internet at least occasionally, own smartphone or use social  | media websites like Face book or Twitter Percentages are medians  | based on 18 advai nced economies and nine emerging economies.  | See Appendix a for economic categorization.  | Source: Spring 2018 Global Attitudes Survey. Q44. Q45, Q46, Q47.  | PEW RESEARCH CENTER 