Marbridge Daily

China's Handset Internet User Base Reaches 356 Mln

Beijing Evening News, 4/09/12

According to a report on the state of development of China's mobile internet newly released by the China Internet Network Information Center (CNNIC), as of the end of 2011, China's number of hanset internet users had reached 356 mln, an increase of 122 mln within one year. By the end of 2011, total smartphone internet users in China reached 190 mln with daily mobile internet use per user at an average of 109 minutes a day. Most-used features included Tencent's (0700.HK) QQ instant messaging platform and other IM clients, as well as mobile search.

The proportion of smartphone users who surfed the internet over their phones multiple times a day was 60.2%, 13 percentage points more than the proportion of non-smartphone users who did the same. Although smartphone users were stickier in their use of the mobile internet, the average daily total time they spent surfing on their phones was not significantly greater than the time spent by non-smartphone users on theirs. Average total time spent online per day for smartphone users was 109 minutes, while average total time spent online per day for non-smartphone users was 106 minutes, a difference of only 2.9%.

In the second half of the past year, over 80% of mobile Internet users did not purchase mobile apps.

Editor's note: This survey focused on mainland China's mobile internet users only (and excluded Hong Kong, Macau, and Taiwan). For the purposes of the survey, CNNIC randomly selected 4 first-tier cities, 7 second-tier cities, and 15 third-tier cities from China's North, Northeast, East, South, Central, Northwest, and Southwest regions.

The survey was carried out through December 30, 2011. The term "mobile internet users" here includes any users of mobile phones, tablet PCs, and other portable devices who have used GPRS, 3G, Wi-Fi, or other wireless channels to access the Internet or the mobile Internet within the past six months. The term "handset internet users" here includes any users who have used a handset to access the Internet or the mobile Internet over the past six months. The term "smartphone internet users" here includes any users who have used a smartphone to access the Internet or the mobile Internet over the past six months.

Keywords: national statistics mobile Internet 2011 smartphone wireless CNNIC mobile application