The latest Ericsson Monthly Report has revealed the continued rise of the smartphone with such devices now accounting for 40% of all mobile phone sales in the third quarter.
Smartphone growth is mirrored in the exponential increase of data traffic which doubled between Q3 2011 and Q3 2012 and is expected to grow at a compound annual growth rate of 50% until 2018, driven by video.
The report suggests that online video is the biggest contributor to mobile traffic volumes, notching up 25% of total smartphone traffic and 40% of total tablet traffic.
Globally, total mobile subscriptions are expected to reach 6.6bn by the end of the year, rising to 9.3bn by the end of 2018, with China alone accounting for 40m additional subscriptions during Q3 alone.
Douglas Gilstrap, senior vice president and head of strategy at Ericsson, commented: "Expectations of mobile-network quality have been elevated by the availability of smartphones and tablets that have changed the way we use the internet. Mobility is becoming an increasingly significant part of our daily lives; we always have devices within arm's reach, allowing us instant access to information, entertainment and social interaction."