eMarketer reports here on sharp year-to-year increases in the percentage of mobile phone owners using their phones to browse the Internet and read email.

The worldwide figure increased to 56 percent in 2005, up from 36 percent the year before. In North America, the increase was even sharper: 28 percent in 2004 rose to 60 percent. Japan leads the world: 82 percent in 2004 rose to 92 percent in 2005.

Takeaway for marketers: Phone technology is improving, phone prices are coming down and the public is getting used to the idea that phones are for more than just talking. If you think that big clunky box on your desktop revolutionized marketing and communications over the past 10 years, wait and see what happens in the next 10.

This entry was posted on Monday, April 24th, 2006 at 8:30 am and is filed under Internet Stuff, Marketing Stuff, Marketing Takeaways.