Majority of websites viewed on mobile and tablet devices for the first time ever
A significant milestone in internet viewing habits has been achieved this month following publication of data from Statcounter indicating that the combined mobile and tablet market has overtaken desktop for the first time on record.
The landmark moment follows the unrelenting rise of mobile and tablet devices since 2008 coupled with a corresponding decline in desktop usage which resulted in the psychologically important October crossover.
Whilst important the leapfrogging is far from surprising with PC shipments having endured steady declines since 2010 just as smartphone makers continue to shift as many phones in a quarter as the combined output of all computers and laptops over the course of a year.
As ever you can follow the money to see who is on top and mobile ad spend has already inched ahead of desktop outlays for the first time over the first half of the year.
Whilst the data confirms more individual webpages are now viewed on handheld devices than deskbound monitors it does not necessarily equate to more people using mobile devices than computers or fewer people using mobiles for a greater amount of time.
Samsung overtook Apple in accounting for the greatest volume of mobile web use in 2013.