Global digital trends in 2017: Half the world now owns a smartphone

Internet usage grew slightly faster than it did in 2015, while social media users more than doubled in a year, spurred on by mobile, according to a comprehensive global report from We Are Social. 2017 Digital Yearbook from We Are Social Singapore The report also found...

Half of 16-24s in US now use Snapchat

Nearly half (47%) of 16-24s in the USA are snapchatting, while youngsters in the UK, Ireland and Belgium also flocking to the chat app, according to new research. The study, from Global Web Index, suggests that Snapchat’s demographics make it an attractive proposition...

Mary Meeker’s Internet trends: Get ready for a hands-free future

Internet users are talking to their phones much more, meaning that brands need to prepare for a hands-free future in digital, according to the annual report from digital guru Mary Meeker. Every year, Meeker’s State of the Internet presentation is used as an industry...

Streaming wars: Pandora vs. Spotify

Online radio service Pandora has been a pioneer in music streaming- but how is it doing compared to upstart Spotify in the US? New data from Global Web Index looks at how both platforms fare across age groups. Last week saw mixed fortunes for Pandora: the service...

US and EU agree new customer data laws… for now

A last minute agreement on EU-US ‘Safe Harbour’ transatlantic data transfers has been announced, in a move that could save business millions in extra fees for privacy protection… but many critics are wary of the privacy implications for citizens. The two sides have...