Remember the days when you would need to reach for a Yellow Pages and use a home phone in times of an emergency? A lot has changed in the last 30 years, particularly with the advent of the internet, but even more so with the ever-changing and ever-developing world of mobile internet. 3G has been around since the turn of the century, while 4G is a relatively new concept – but both are changing the way we work and play.
In December 2013, it was revealed that online spending was up 10% on previous figures from 2012. Among the findings, sales of modern electronics were high up on the list for consumer demand, which are largely the cause of the rise in the sales, particularly smartphones and tablets.
With many retailers now choosing to make ‘mobile’ versions of their sites, it is becoming easier than ever to purchase goods while we are on the go, with more accessible screens allowing us to navigate sites with the swipe of a finger. In March this year, a survey revealed that 32% of UK customers made purchases on a smartphone, signalling the changes that mobile internet has made on today’s retail industry.
With new releases like PS4 and Xbox One all burning increasingly larger holes in our pockets, it’s only natural for today’s gamers to look to something cheaper that they can play while on the go. Mobile gaming apps have seen an exponential rise in recent years, and with many games either free or available for a minimal cost, users are reaping the benefits of mobile internet to play and have their names entered into national league tables or play with friends around the world.
One particular facet of online gaming that has benefited from wireless internet technology is the gambling industry. With a £2 billion revenue in 2013, the world of online casinos is becoming more and more accessible thanks to 3G and 4G. According to a publication on Fox News the online gambling industry was estimated at $33 billion USD in 2013, with $4.5 billion coming from mobile devices. Not just poker proves a very suitable game online; while slots and roulette are quite intuitive games, blackjack shows more similarities to poker, where it’s more about the actual game than the betting. In that regard blackjack lines up right after poker when it comes down to blackjack resources focusing on gameplay and insights.
One way in which 4G is set to take our mobile world by storm is the increased availability of online streaming. With smartphone apps like iPlayer or Netflix giving us access to our favourite programmes 24 hours a day, it takes a just seconds to download a 30 minute segment with today’s new mobile internet speeds.
This is great for those who want to watch live events as they take place, as users can exploit the same internet speeds as they would expect from a home router out and about on their mobile phone, leading to a boredom free lifestyle for everyone.