Back in the 1960s, a portable computer was something seen only in sci-fi shows like Star Trek. Today, that science fiction reality has become a fact with the creation of smartphones and tablets. While it might have originally been too expensive for many people, prices have dropped significantly and there are now more than 4 billion mobile users worldwide. These devices have revolutionized people's lives. Not only do they have constant connection to everything available on the Internet, they also have access to thousands of apps that can help them manage their day-to-day life. Is it any surprise then that tablet sales alone will overtake PC sales in a few years?
The rapid adoption of mobile is unprecedented in the technology world. It took smartphones only four years to go from 5 percent to 40 percent market saturation, which is faster than even the Internet. With the technology landscape moving so quickly, many businesses are racing to catch up. Consumers are demanding mobile friendly sites and have grown impatient waiting for non-optimized pages to load. A recent study shows that 30 percent will abandon a purchase if their experience isn't optimized. Despite the growing importance of smartphones, many companies only allot a small percentage of their marketing budget for mobile. Considering that mobile shopping is expected to account for $163 billion worldwide, it seems that the companies that do not embrace mobile will end up losing their relevance in the near future.
If you're still not convinced that mobile is the way of the future, the infographic below will provide more data on just how much smartphones and tablets have infiltrated people's lives.
As technology continues to advance, smartphones will continue to evolve and users will adapt to these changes accordingly. If you hope to keep your competitive edge, now is the best time to improve your mobile presence.