The number of people using mobile  devices to access the Internet more than doubled from January 2008 to January 2009, according to comScore, a provider of Internet tracking. Internet users have been using smartphones for personal use and to conduct business, similar to the way they would use a laptop or home computer.
Last January, of the 63.2 million people who used their mobile device to access information , 22.4 million, or 35 percent of mobile-device users, did it on a daily basis, more than double last year's 10.8 million people.
"It was surprising to see such a dramatic change in the usage of mobile news and information," said Jaimee Steele, spokesperson for comScore. "Only a year ago, the majority of those accessing news and information reported that they did so only a few times in the month; so over the course of one year, we have seen mobile Internet access become a part of the daily media diet of a growing number of people."
Business or Personal
The increase in daily users indicates a few trends, according to Steele.
"First of all, the mobile content is no longer merely a diversion or novelty for gadget enthusiasts, but is truly integrated into people's daily lives," Steele said. "Secondly, the content being offered is resonating with consumers, which bodes well as advertisers and publishers consider mobile as part of their media budgets."
Mobile-device users are using them for both business and personal use, according to comScore. People are using mobile devices to blog, visit social-networking sites, and download applications such as those offered through the iPhone App Store.
"What we are seeing is people are using them for both personal and business use. The line between business users and consumers is becoming less differentiated," Steele said.
At the beginning of this year, 22.3 million people accessed news and other content using a downloaded application, according to comScore. One of the most popular downloaded applications was maps, with an 8.2 million users.
In January, device users not only used mobile phones to search for directions, but 14.1 million also conducted searches for content and 32.4 million used SMS to access news and information.
Tech Savvy
Smartphones and high-end feature phones such as the Samsung Instinct and LG Dare are some of the top devices being used for access to information and content, but 70 percent of people who access mobile Internet content are using feature phones.
Researchers said there will be more growth next year as mobile content offerings continue to expand and as more consumers learn to use the mobile Internet.
"Furthermore, devices are becoming more sophisticated and less expenses, and data plans are being packaged and priced more attractively," Steele said.
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