Mobile phones may soon challenge personal computers as the dominant platform for accessing the Internet, a recent survey quoted by an AFP report said.
The AFP report, citing a survey released by research firm Ipsos Insight, said that 28% of mobile phone owners worldwide have browsed the Internet on a wireless handset, up from 25% at the end 2004.
This increase is due largely to participation by users above age 35, which analysts say suggests that the technology has gone mainstream, the report said.
The report said Japan is leading the growth, with 92% of mobile users having browsed the Internet or downloaded email at least once a month on their phone in 2005.
About four out of 10 Japanese adults went online using their mobile phones this year, up 50% from 2003.
Next was Britain, where 29% used mobile phones for Internet, followed by the US and South Korea, each with 26%, the report said.
The survey however said that US and Canadian markets for online mobile phone technology are flattening out, and pointed to the popularity of notebook PCs using wireless technology as the main out-of-home Internet platforms.
The study predicts that the appeal of greater convenience and faster connection speeds could lead to changes in PC and mobile phone Internet use, the report further said.