“Highly respected Web and technology analyst Mary Meeker has released her end of year 2012 report on Internet trends and the summary is that mobile and tablets are driving new levels of connectivity, particularly in emerging markets,” Jon Russell reports for TNW. “Meeker, a partner with VC firm Kleiner Perkins Caufield and Byers, estimates that the number of Internet users worldwide has grown by 8 percent this year to hit 2.4 billion.”

“Mobile is, as you’d expect, the key focus and the number of global smartphone users rose 42 percent this year, Meeker estimates, to hit 1.1 billion. China is again top — 270 million smartphone users, and 50 percent growth — with the US second on 172 million smartphones (and 50 percent annual growth),” Russell reports. “Back in the US, Meeker says that the iPhone and iPad are revolutionising the Web, in the same way that the iPod changed the global music industry. The report estimates that the iPad is scaling at nearly six times the speed of the iPhone, which itself grew faster than the iPod.3″

Read more in the full article here.

[Thanks to MacDailyNews Reader "Dan K." for the heads up.]

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Mary Meeker’s latest stunning presentation about the state of the Web, the U.S., and the world – May 31, 2012