Gender Difference in the Motivations of Mobile Internet Usage

Abstract

The rapid pace of adoption of Web-enabled mobile handsets in worldwide markets has become an increasingly important issue for information systems professionals. A recent survey indicates that the number of global mobile Internet adopters is expected to reach nearly 600 million by 2008 (Ipsos-Insight, 2004; Probe Group, 2004), while the number of Internet-connected mobile phones will exceed the number of Internet-connected PCs by 2005 (The Economist, 2001). Such drastic convergence of the Internet and the mobile handset has been led by Asian and Scandinavian countries, where penetration has been especially meteoric. For example, roughly 70 million people in Japan, or 55% of the population, have signed up for mobile Internet access, in comparison to 12% in the United States (Faiola, 2004; Greenspan, 2003). Consequently, mobile phones or Keitai have been converted into devices for surfing the Internet, and by 2004 monthly mobile spending per consumer exceeded 35 euro.