The End (of the Desktop) is Nigh: July 2014

Computer Graveyard by Moshe Reuveni

It's going to be the year of mobile. Really. This time it's really happening.

Mobile and tablets have been due to take over the world for the last decade, according to new research, it becomes a reality in July 2014.

Analytics firm, Intelligent Positioning surveyed 175m visits across 10 websites examining the share of desktop versus mobile traffic.

Key findings from the research are:

  • Mobile (tablet and smartphone) share of traffic increased from 22.8% to 37% in 2013
  • Desktop’s share of traffic decreased from 77.3% to 62.9% in 2013
  • Over a third of all traffic is now on a handheld mobile or tablet device
  • Desktop’s share of traffic dropped significantly in August
  • Tablet traffic had peaks of share in May and December
  • If rates continue, then mobile and tablet visits are set to overtake desktop during summer 2014.

Although it's a relatively small sample the usage trend will surprise no one. Will 2014 be the last year that you buy a computer? According to Techcrunch columnist MG Seigler, it might be his.

What about you?

Photo (cc) Moshe Reuveni on Flickr. Source dotRising.

21 January 2014 by Sam Michel
Sam Michel

Sam Michel is the founder of Chinwag and blogs here for work, and more randomly at Toodlepip. He runs Chinwag Jobs, Digital Mission and tends to focus on murky place where technology, community and marketing collide. You'll find him on twitter @toodlepip.

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Comments

End of Desktops by July 2014?

Submitted by General Jumbo on Thu, 30/01/2014 - 1:15pm.

Undoubtedly tablets and mobile are great.  But when was the last time anyone ran AfterEffects or FCP or Cinema 4D on a tablet.  Maybe someday... but until then, I think the desktop and laptop will be with us professional creatives for a little bit longer than July 2014.

Our look at Browser Stats for start of 2014

Submitted by Elliot on Thu, 30/01/2014 - 12:19pm.

We've revently looked at the stats over 2013 as well.

It's always going to depend on your data source, but StatCounter have a much larger data set than 10 sites. The data also correlates to our own client data. Depending on business anywhere from 10 - 25% was non-desktop.

I'd question the headline, problably not 2014, but touch devices are certainly going to break a quarter of all web traffic.

http://notwothesame.com/articles/2013-webstats/