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How Many Mobile Phone Users Are There in Australia?

27 May 2021

Australian Smartphone Statistics 2021

It’s safe to say that mobile usage in Australia has taken off in a big way in the last decade. Increasingly affordable and accessible technology and improved capability have turned mobile devices and smartphones into must-have accessories for individuals and businesses across the country.

But how many smartphones are there in Australia in 2021, and what lessons can be learned from Australian mobile phone statistics this year? 

Key Mobile Phone Statistics in Australia

To help you understand more about the prevalence of mobile and smartphone usage in Australia, we’ve compiled a number of Australian smartphone statistics to be aware of in 2021.

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  • The number of mobile phones in Australia is getting ever closer to the total number of people in Australia. In 2017, there were 18.6 million smartphone users in Australia, out of a population of 24.6 million people.
  • By 2025, there are expected to be 21.5 million smartphone users in the country, out of a projected population of 26.9 million people.
  • This represents a marked increase in the number of smartphone users in Australia, as penetration is expected to grow from 75.61% to 79.93% in eight years.
  • Both of these penetration percentages are well above the international average. In 2021, there are around 3.8 billion smartphone users in the world, around 48.33% of the total global population.
  • Smartphone usage in Australia is projected to grow by between 0.2 million and 0.3 million, year on year, over the next four years.
  • In 2017, the majority of smartphone users were also using their device’s internet connection capabilities. There were 17.19 million mobile internet users in Australia in 2017, around 92.42% of the total smartphone users in the country.
  • By 2022, this is predicted to grow to 19.27 million mobile internet users, a growth of more than 2 million people in five years. This represents a slight increase in terms of mobile internet usage penetration in the smartphone market, rising by just over 0.2% to 92.64%.
  • The current generation of Australians is among the first to be almost completely mobile literate from an early age. In 2009, 76% of 12 to 14-year-olds in Australia had a mobile phone — an age group who are now in their early 20s, graduating from university and entering the workforce.
  • Mobile internet is becoming more affordable in Australia. On average, the price of mobile data on contracted phone plans fell by 75% between 2017 and 2019.
  • This mobile internet is also getting faster — the average download speed increased by 21% between 2016 and 2017.
  • The mobile telecommunications sector is now one of the economic driving forces in Australia, providing around 116,100 full-time jobs and contributing $22.9 billion to the economy in 2019.
  • Mobile technology is revolutionising the way we do business, and it is projected to add $65 billion to the Australian economy in increased productivity by 2023.
  • Not everyone is convinced that mobile technology makes them more productive, however, as 40% of mobile users say that they find their device distracting. 36%, on the other hand, said that they believed their mobile device helps them to stay connected to others.
  • 71% of mobile users said they felt safer with their device on them. This is backed up by statistics that show that 75% of triple 0 calls are placed from mobile devices.

Get the Business Mobile that Suits Your Needs

Mobiles and smartphone devices represent great potential for Australian businesses, but only if you have a business mobile plan that supports your business rather than hindering it. Reach out to the expert team at Business Telecom and find out more about the mobile plans we provide