Mobile

Only about a fifth of India’s roughly 1.2 billion people are online, according to a recent Pew Research Center report, and the world’s biggest technology companies are clamoring for this large, untapped user base. Facebook recently tried (and failed) to implement its “Free Basics” internet program, and Google is also vying for the vast Indian […]

For SXSW, we gathered key facts about Americans' views and uses of technology.

People in emerging and developing nations are quickly catching up to those in advanced nations in terms of access to technology.

As the world becomes increasingly interconnected, both economically and socially, technology adoption remains one of the defining factors in human progress. To that end, there has been a noticeable rise over the past two years in the percentage of people in the emerging and developing nations surveyed by Pew Research Center who say that they use the internet and own a smartphone.

Discussions of the “digital divide” often touch on race and ethnicity – and the narrative is usually that whites lead in technology adoption while other racial or ethnic groups struggle to keep up. But that's not the case for English-speaking Asian Americans.

The share of 18- to 24-year-olds who report having used online dating has nearly tripled in the past two years, while usage among 55- to 64-year-olds has doubled.

Smartphone use that goes beyond routine calls and text messages does not appear to be slowing.

The share of Americans with broadband at home has plateaued: It now stands at 67%, down slightly from 70% in 2013. At the same time, more Americans rely only on their smartphones for online access.

For many Americans, one device isn’t enough.

The internet is a central resource for Americans looking for work, but a notable minority lack confidence in their digital job-seeking skills.