Every year, Mary Meeker of Kleiner Perkins Caufield Byers creates a
presentation on Internet Trends. The annual presentation establishes new
benchmarks for business watchers and is basically the most influential
analysis of Internet business anywhere.
For example, Meeker is the person who predicted that mobile web use
would surpass desktop web use by 2014.
Recently Meeker released her 2012 Internet Trends presentation. The full
98 page presentation is embedded at the bottom of this post.
For the mobile marketer, strategist, or developer who wants to know
what’s coming, we’ve reviewed 2012 Internet Trends and summarized some
of the highlights below.
Global Growth of Mobile and Tablet Users
- 2.3B Global Internet users in 2011, 8% Growth, Driven by Emerging
Markets - China added 215 million users from 2008 to 2011, for total of 514
- USA added 15 million for a total of 245 million


- 953 million smartphone subscriptions vs 6.1B mobile phone
subscriptions - 30% of USA adults own a tablet / eReader (up from less than 2% in
2009) - Mobile now 20% of total internet traffic
- Mobile now 8% of USA ecommerce revenue and helping accelerate growth
- May 2012: Mobile internet usage surpassed more highly monetized
desktop internet usage in May 2012 in India - Average revenue per user 1.7-5x lower on mobile than desktop, but
will grow fast – it is already higher in Japan.
Re-imagination of nearly everything
Powered by new devices, connectivity, UI, beauty, the world is rapidly
changing.
- After 125 years, landlines were surpassed by mobiles in 2002 and
peaked in 2006. Landline use is now declining rapidly - Former cornerstones are changing e.g. Encyclopedia Britannica going
out of print in 2012, after 244 years - Newspaper ad revenue was surpassed by Internet ad revenue in 2010
- Desktops and Laptops of yesteryear are being replaced by Tablets and
Smartphones - “We hope to rewire the way people spread and consume… We think a
more open and connected world will help create a stronger economy
with more authentic businesses that build better products and
services.”- Mark Zuckerberg, Founder & CEO, Facebook
Future changes will be stunning
The developments we will see in the coming years will continue to
astonish and amaze us.
- Nearly ubiquitous high speed wireless access in developed countries
- Unprecedented Global Technology innovation
- Ultra competitive markets for mobile operating systems + devices
- Inexpensive devices / access / services
- Ability to reach millions of new users in record (& accelerating)
time - 5 years ago, smartphone OS’s (iOS, Android, Windows Mobile) made up
5% of market. Now 64% - Addressable Market for re-imagination – aggregate market cap of
global public companies = $36+ trillion. That’s the total market
value of global public companies potentially disrupted by
digitally-driven business models.
Technology is changing business and societal norms and will continue to
do so. The digital infusion into everything will continue.
Lives are being fundamentally transformed by technology and its societal
effects. News reporting, drawing, photography, magazines, music, video
creation / production, home entertainment, sports, coupons, shopping,
and entertainment are the beginnings we can see today.
But, as Meeker says, “We are still in spring training.”
The full presentation is embedded below.