About 4.3 billion people, or 55% of the world’s population, own smartphones. This is evidenced by the data of the GSM Association (GSMA), which it published in the Mobile Internet Connectivity report, writes GSMArena.

According to the organization, there are currently 4.6 billion mobile Internet users, of which 4 billion access services using smartphones.

The Association also noted that 69% of smartphone owners in North America, East Asia, and the Pacific use 4G-enabled devices.

However, the majority of users in sub-Saharan Africa still rely on 3G connections. A similar situation is observed in the Middle East and North Africa, where one in three mobile users still use 3G Internet.

The fact that mobile internet usage is growing is not surprising. However, approximately 3.4 billion people are still without a connection. According to the GSMA, the percentage of people who live in areas with mobile broadband but do not use it is 38%.

The gap in Internet access is particularly pronounced in sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia, where 59% and 52% of the population, respectively, do not have access to the Internet.

The GSMA also noted that 600 million people, or 8% of the world’s population, still use the Internet using regular phones.

Mats Granryd, the organization’s CEO, is convinced that the lack of connectivity deprives billions of people of access to vital services and income-generating opportunities.

Earlier it became known that Apple’s iPhone remains the most popular smartphone among American teenagers. This is evidenced by the results of a survey by the investment bank Piper Sandler.