China Internet Network Information Center (CNNIC) today released its 28th Statistical Report on Internet Development in China.
Some Highlights:
- China’s Internet population has reached 485 millions, but the growth seems slowing down compared with 2010;
- The number of mobile internet users has reached 318 millions
- Microblog users now reached 195 millions
- Chinese Social Network market is actually shrinking
- Instant Messaging, News, Search, Online Music are the Top 3 most popular mobile service
According to this report, China’s Internet population has reached 485 millions by the end of June 2011 and the Internet penetration rate is now 36.2%, increasing 1.9% than 2010. The number of mobile internet users has reached 318 millions which means around 65.5% of Chinese netizens are using mobile device to access the internet.
However, according to CNNIC, the growth of number of Chinese internet users seems slowing down. In the first half of 2010, the number of netizens had an increase of 36 millions; but in the first half of this year, the number only increased 27.7 millions.
CNNIC reports says the Top 5 web services in Chinese is Search, Instant Messaging, Online Music, News and Blog. However we also see some dramatic growth in market such as Microbloging (Weibo) which reached 195 millions users with an increase of 208.9% compared with the number at the end of 2010, Groupon with 42.2 millions users and an increase of 125% and online payment with an increase of 11.7%.
One of the most interesting finding on CNNIC report is that the number of Social Networks users has decreased 5.16 millions in past 6 months, and it is now 230 millions. So the social network market is actually shrinking.
As for the mobile market, the Top 10 most popular mobile service is, Instant Messaging, News, Search, Online Music, e-Reading, Social Networks, Microblog (Weibo), BBS, Online Games and Email.
The full report can be downloaded here (in Chinese).
Sorry, but these numbers don’t add up. There are only about 65 million 3G user accounts. So how can there be 318 million mobile users? About half of the 65 million 3G users have purchased dongles for their laptops which leaves only 30 million or so smartphone users.
Anybody care to elaborate?
The numbers might be a little inflated, but who really knows?
Mobile users don’t require 3G service to be included in the “mobile internet users” group. I think they’ve included all mobile subscribers that have accessed the internet using a mobile device.
I think they should provide more details, as a breakdown of the “mobile internet user” group, to be more accurate.
I access the internet using my 2g phone, 3g phone, and ipad,and notebook – through Wi-Fi and also through WAP, 3G service and tethering. I should be considered as a single user- but I’m probably mistaken for 2 or 3 users, since I use multiple devices.
I am not 100% sure where the distinction lies, with 2G & 3G. I know a lot of people with “older” phones that access microblog and instant messaging such as QQ via their phone. I think they are technically doing that via the phone connection rather wi fi, however I would say the 318million number would be about right. It is small fraction of the population of a country where “everyone” has at least one mobile, and many moved from talk & text years ago.
Note in the last quarter of 2010 they sold 24million Smartphones, which was more than the USA for the same period.
…I hope that helps.
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Helmut Maertin
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