The final (!) session of AoIR 2015 is on the mobile Internet, and starts with Katy Pearce. Her interest is in the experiences of mobile-only Internet users: a phenomenon which is especially prevalent in developing countries. Here, resource constraints make it more likely that users will buy multi-purpose devices such as feature phones or smartphones with direct network access rather than desktop, laptop, or tablet devices that require a wifi connection.
>
The devices people use impact on their usage patterns, of course. But other factors, such as age, educational and sociodemographic status, also impact on such patterns. In Armenia, 16% of Internet users are mobile-only users, and many others tethered their other devices to the Net using mobile devices. Computer-only users are usually better educated and have better English skills, while non-users tend to be older and mobile-only users tend to be in rural location.
There are also major usage differences – computer users tend to use them for work; mobile users for news and social networking. This means a substantial Internet activity device gap remains; access is not enough. Demographic and device differences continue to matter.
