IDC Finds More of the World's Population Connecting to the Internet in New Ways and...

IDC Finds More of the World's Population Connecting to the Internet in New Ways and Embracing Web 2.0 Activities

FRAMINGHAM, Mass.--(Business Wire)--
Nearly a quarter of the world's population - roughly 1.4 billion
people - will use the Internet on a regular basis in 2008. This number
is expected to surpass 1.9 billion unique users, or 30% of the world's
population, in 2012, according to IDC's Digital Marketplace Model and
Forecast.

"The Internet will have added its second billion users over a span
of about eight years, a testament to both its universal appeal and its
availability," said John Gantz, chief research officer at IDC. "In
this time, the Internet has also become more deeply integrated into
the fabric of many users' personal and professional lives, enabling
them to work, play, and socialize anytime from anywhere. These trends
will accelerate as the number of mobile users continues to soar and
the Internet becomes truly ubiquitous."

While the PC is currently the dominant means of gaining access to
the Internet, IDC expects the number of mobile devices accessing the
Internet will surpass the number of online PCs by 2012. Once on the
Internet, users will continue to spend time on Web 1.0 activities like
searching, shopping, and sending email. But Web 2.0 activities, such
as watching user-generated videos, posting blogs, and participating in
social networks, are quickly capturing the attention and time online
of more and more Internet users. The latter will create new
opportunities and challenges for online advertisers seeking to
monetize the Internet experience.

Highlights from IDC's Digital Marketplace Model and Forecast
include the following:

-- Users will access the Internet through more than 1.5 billion
devices worldwide in 2008, including PCs, mobile phones, and
online videogame consoles. By 2012, the number of devices
accessing the Internet will double to more than 3 billion,
half of which will be mobile devices.

-- China passed the United States in 2007 to become the country
with the largest number of Internet users. China's online
population is forecast to grow from 275 million users in 2008
to 375 million users in 2012.

-- Nearly half of all Internet users will make online purchases
in 2008. By 2012, there will be more than 1 billion online
buyers worldwide making business to consumer (B2C)
transactions worth $1.2 trillion. Business to business (B2B)
eCommerce will be ten times larger, totalling $12.4 trillion
worldwide in 2012.

-- Worldwide spending on Internet advertising will total $65.2
billion in 2008, which is nearly 10% of all ad spending across
all media. This share is expected to reach 13.6% by 2011 as
Internet ad spending grows to $106.6 billion worldwide.

-- Roughly 40% of all Internet users worldwide currently have
mobile Internet access. The number of mobile Internet users
will reach 546 million in 2008, nearly twice as many as in
2006, and is forecast to surpass 1.5 billion worldwide in
2012.

-- The most popular online activities today are searching the
Web, finding information for personal use, using Internet
email, accessing news and sports information, and accessing
financial or credit information. In addition to these
activities, more than 50% of online users worldwide are using
instant messaging and playing online games. The fastest
growing online activities include accessing business
applications, creating blogs, online gambling, accessing
work-related email, and participating in online communities.

-- Among mobile Internet users, the most popular online
activities are searching the Web, accessing news and sports
information, downloading music, videos, and ringtones, using
instant messaging, and using Internet email. By 2012,
downloading music, videos, and ringtones will become the
number one activity among mobile Internet users worldwide.

IDC's Digital Marketplace Model and Forecast provides worldwide
and regional data for a wide range of Internet categories and
activities. Traditional Web 1.0 categories include Internet users,
devices using the Internet, Internet buyers, and B2C and B2B
eCommerce. Web 2.0 categories look more closely at what Internet users
are doing online, with breakouts by activity and gender. The database
also includes a detailed look at online advertising spending
worldwide. Forecast data for the 2008-2012 period is supplemented by
historical data from 2006 and 2007. The Web 1.0 categories include
detailed information on more than 40 individual countries.

For more information or to purchase IDC's Digital Marketplace
Model and Forecast, please contact Alex Manfrediz at 305-351-3037 and
amanfrediz@idc.com

About IDC

IDC is the premier global provider of market intelligence,
advisory services, and events for the information technology,
telecommunications, and consumer technology markets. IDC helps IT
professionals, business executives, and the investment community make
fact-based decisions on technology purchases and business strategy.
More than 1,000 IDC analysts provide global, regional, and local
expertise on technology and industry opportunities and trends in over
100 countries. For more than 44 years, IDC has provided strategic
insights to help our clients achieve their key business objectives.
IDC is a subsidiary of IDG, the world's leading technology media,
research, and events company. You can learn more about IDC by visiting
www.idc.com.

All product and company names may be trademarks or registered
trademarks of their respective holders.

IDC
Alex Manfrediz, 305-351-3037
amanfrediz@idc.com
or
Michael Shirer, 508-935-4200
press@idc.com

Copyright Business Wire 2008