Smartphones set to become the fastest spreading technology in human history

It probably doesn’t come as a surprise, but it’s always nice to see it plotted on a graph: Smartphones might just be the fastest-spreading technology in human history. The only technologies that come close is the adoption of television between 1950 and 1953, and the recent emergence (and rapid growth) of the tablet market.

While these graphs, compiled by Michael Degusta for Technology Review, are entirely US-centric, they are representative of other Western world countries. The graphs clearly show that “last mile” technologies, such as landline telephone and electricity, take up to 100 years to reach market saturation — while wireless technologies, such as radio, television, and mobile (feature/dumb) phones can go from 0% to 75% market penetration in just 20 years.

Unfortunately Degusta doesn’t have complete data for 2011 or 2012 yet, but between 2007 and 2010 (spurred on by the release of the first iPhone) smartphones registered a gargantuan surge from 5% to 40% penetration. Smartphone growth is accelerating, too — in the US, more than two thirds of mobile phones sold are now of the smart variety. It is likely that smartphones will reach 75% penetration in the US in the next few years, making it the fastest-spreading technology in human history.

Source:http://www.extremetech.com/computing/129058-smartphones-set-to-become-the-fastest-spreading-technology-in-human-history