Pakistan Has a Huge Potential for Smartphone Industry Growth, Latest Data Reveals
The mobile market intelligence firm NewZoo has ranked Pakistan on the list of the top 10 countries with the highest number of active smartphone users. Pakistan managed to secure 10th place in the list with around 73 Million active smartphone users. Astonishingly, with only a 31% penetration rate, the country has such a huge number of active smartphone users. It indicates that Pakistan has a huge potential for smartphone user growth, but needs to overcome its infrastructure and accessibility issues.
China leads the list with a staggering 974.69 million smartphone users, while the United States has the highest smartphone penetration rate at 81.6%.
| Rank | Country | Smartphone Users | Total Population | Smartphone Penetration |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | China | 974.69 million | 1.43 billion | 68.4% |
| 2 | India | 659 million | 1.42 billion | 46.5% |
| 3 | United States | 276.14 million | 338.29 million | 81.6% |
| 4 | Indonesia | 187.7 million | 275.5 million | 68.1% |
| 5 | Brazil | 143.43 million | 215.31 million | 66.6% |
| 6 | Russia | 106.44 million | 144.71 million | 73.6% |
| 7 | Japan | 97.44 million | 123.95 million | 78.6% |
| 8 | Nigeria | 83.34 million | 218.54 million | 38.1% |
| 9 | Mexico | 78.37 million | 127.5 million | 61.5% |
| 10 | Pakistan | 72.99 million | 235.82 million | 31% |
What needs to be done?
The low penetration rate in Pakistan sheds light on issues related to wider smartphone adoption, but it also shows huge potential for smartphone industry growth. However, to fully capitalize on its potential, the country needs hefty investments in infrastructure, especially in making smartphones more affordable. Pakistan can achieve that by shifting towards the manufacturing of mobile phone parts and not just restricting itself to local assembling. On the other hand, the government should be consistent in its regulatory policies and tax structure to tap the immense potential of the smartphone industry. The growth of digital literacy and connectivity could drive economic and social development in the country.
The data from New Zoo also shows the digital divide between developed and developing countries. While countries such as the United States and Japan show high penetration rates, countries like Pakistan, continue to struggle with fundamental access issues.
