Noteworthy in 2021

PC and tablet ownership declined, but internet users spent more time with these devices than with their phones.

• Almost 98% of internet users owned a smartphone in H1 2021—a share essentially unchanged since 2019. Meanwhile, PC ownership declined by more than 2 percentage points year over year, to 82.3%. Tablet penetration also fell very slightly, to 58.2%. As in previous years, females were marginally more likely than males to own a tablet or smartphone; ownership of desktops and laptops was roughly equal in both groups. In addition, PC penetration was notably low among those ages 16 to 34 and in lower-income households.
• Larger screens still claimed a longer period of time each day. Internet users spent an average of 3 hours, 29 minutes (3:29) with desktops, laptops, and tablets in H1 2021, compared with 2:49 daily for mobile devices. Both values rose from last year, but PCs/tablets registered a bigger increase.