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It has become common knowledge now that if you have a web site, you have to make sure it works equally well on mobile devices too. With that in mind, we have found ten interesting facts that help to quantify just how prominent our phones and tablets have become over the past few years in relation to the web. We hope that you'll find something you didn't previously know!

1. Over 50% of smartphone users grab their smartphone immediately after waking up

I know I do, how many of you can admit to the same? Whether it's turning off your alarm, responding to messages or just seeing what your friends have been up to on social media - it's hard to resist using your mobile as part of your morning routine!

2. 80% of internet users own a smartphone

The chances are, if you use the internet, you will own a smartphone. This is because smartphones have now become a primary device for using the internet alongside PC's, laptops and tablets! Long gone are the days where a phone was just a phone!

3. Mobile web audiences are 2x bigger than mobile app and web is growing 1.2x faster

Mobile apps were all the rage when smartphones first hit the scene, but you may be surprised to find that mobile web usage (such as Safari and Google Chrome) are far more popular, with no sign of slowing down.

4. Southeast Asian countries have skipped the PC convention to become mobile-first countries

Countries such as Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam are prioritising mobile web usage over traditional web usage. This is in part driven by young people, as those under 35 account for about 70% of the population in this area of the world.

5. Mobile email opens have grown by 180% in the last three years

Emails were on of the major milestones of internet usage, and a tool that has never gone out of fashion. It has however continued to evolve, with it becoming more and more normal to check your emails on your phone.

6. 48% of millennials view video solely on their mobile device

YouTube and Facebook in particular have become giants in the world of video, surpassing even television in the total time spent watching. With these websites and apps built purposefully for mobile usage, it is no shock the younger generation are beginning to rely solely on them.

7. By 2018, 8 in 10 email users will likely access their email accounts exclusively from their mobile devices

This prediction is based on the rapid growth of mobile email usage, who has the time to sit down at a computer to check your emails when you can do it from anywhere on the globe?!

8. 75% of people admit to bringing their phone to the bathroom

Well, when your source of entertainment is so portable, why wouldn't you!

9. More Google searches take place on mobile browsers than they do on desktop

The convenience of being able to find out about just about anything at any time is now being utilised, with mobile Google searches overtaking those on a desktop computer.

10. 40% of mobile searches are about something local

This fact is probably the most interesting to all of our local government software users, the surprising realisation that mobile searches are often used to find out about something in the area! Whether it is finding the opening times of local services, of the location of something you need - mobile searches are about something local almost half of the time.