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Phones will overtake desktop browsers by 2013, says one research firm
With the advent of powerful Internet-enabled mobile phones, it's no secret that mobile browsers are accounting for a larger share of web traffic all the time. In fact, one firm says that the growth of mobile browsers is so rapid, they'll soon overtake traditional desktop browsers. Research and analysis specialists Gartner, Inc. are predicting that "by 2013, mobile phones will overtake PCs as the most common Web access device worldwide" in a new report.If trends continue as Gartner suspects, there will be 1.78 billion PCs on the web in 2013, but mobile devices equipped with browsers will total 1.82 billion. For developers and designers, Gartner thinks this will mean an increased focus on optimizing sites for the most popular handheld browsers. That's one way things could go, certainly, but in my (admittedly non-expert) opinion, mobile browsers will also continue to improve, becoming more compliant with contemporary web standards and features.
Gartner's other predictions included this controversial gem: "By 2012, Facebook will become the hub for social network integration and Web socialization." Read the summary of the report for more near-future prognostication.
[via Engadget]
Comments
2
Subscribe to commentsOssama AnsariJan 22nd 2010 1:23PM
True...I don't doubt these studies. But hopefully we will have full HTML browsers on mobiles soon with flash support. Personally would love to see a Webkit browser on mobiles that supports H.264 and HTML5...
SDreamerJan 22nd 2010 2:12PM
Seriously doubt it. With all these tablets coming out, they'll be most likely be using full browsers, unless Android overtakes that market, and their browsers are still considered "phone browsers." I absolutely loath web surfing no my iPod Touch or my HTC Fuze, it's much too small, for so much content. With laptop sales going up because of the much more affordable pricing, I think we'll see desktop broswers still yet to come.