Smartphone Users Pass the 30 Million Mark in South Korea

The popularity of smartphones just keeps growing the world over. Earlier in the month, a study from Frank M. Magid Associates found that 58 percent of Americans use smartphones, also forecasting that growth will continue unabated into 2013. Outside of North America, it would seem, the mobile story is often much the same.

Indeed, recent data from three mobile providers in South Korea quoted by Yonhap news agency found that more than 60 percent of South Koreans now have smartphones — that equates to 30.03 million people, out of a total of 52.55 million mobile phone users. In total, the entire nation has more mobile phones than there are people as the population hit 50 million in June.

This is particularly interesting because South Korea was relatively late to the smartphone craze, compared to other countries. Apple's iPhone was only released there in September 2009 as regulators held it back due to privacy concerns about some of its features. Since then, however, smartphone use has been growing rather steadily.

It also isn't too surprising, though, since the nation is so forward looking in terms of tech. Free wireless networks and cutting-edge gadgets are commonplace there, for example, the nation's broadband Internet ranks fastest in the world in terms of download speeds, according to a study by Pando Networks.

Perhaps the most important factor is the fact that South Korea is home to two of the world's biggest technology companies — Samsung and LG — of which the former is now the top smartphone manufacturer in the world in terms of shipments.

According to data from International Data Corporation (IDC), Google's Android OS appeared on 68.1 percent of all smartphones shipped in the second quarter of this year, with 44 percent of those being Samsung devices. Meanwhile, the iPhone's popularity continues to hold strong worldwide — even in Samsung's home nation.

Want to learn more about today’s powerful mobile Internet ecosystem? Don't miss the Mobility Tech Conference & Expo, collocated with ITEXPO West 2012 taking place Oct. 2-5 2012, in Austin, TX.  Stay in touch with everything happening at Mobility Tech Conference & Expo. Follow us on Twitter.