According to the latest statistics, the utilization ratio of mobile phones in accessing the internet has for the first time exceeded that of computers. Mobile phone applications such as mobile finance and mobile medicate are serving the varied needs of internet users.

According to the 34th Statistical Report on Internet Development in China, among the 632 million internet users in China, 527 million access the internet via mobile phones. The utilization ratio of mobile phones in accessing the internet rose to 83.4, exceeding that of computers, which is 80.9 percent.

Deputy director of the China Internet Network Information Center Liu Bing says that the utilization ratio of mobile applications such as e-commerce applications, leisure and entertainment applications, information acquiring applications, and communication applications is growing rapidly.

The report also noted that there are 450 million people without access to the Internet in rural China. Among the newly-added netizens in rural areas, students under the age of 10 in rural areas account for only 16.1 percent, much lower than the newly added student proportion in urban areas, which is 54.2 percent. Therefore, it is necessary to improve the information infrastructure in rural areas and provide more internet courses to rural students. In rural areas, utilization ratios of instant messaging, online news, and online music and music downloads, which are more frequently used than other internet applications, are 72.2 percent, 61.3 percent and 43.3 percent respectively. Liu Bing urges that more suitable software should be developed to provide more access to Internet for people in rural areas. He also encourages developing more practical applications related to rural development for farmers.

Read the Chinese version 我国手机上网比例首超电脑; Source: Economic Daily.