The more developed markets in the region (the
Digital Pioneers) are the global technological
pioneers: with world leading adoption rates for
the industry’s newest technologies, including 4G
networks and smartphones. South Korea is the
world’s most advanced 4G market, as the only
country to have reached 100% population coverage
and with over half of the total connections being 4G
at the end of 2013. A number of Fast Grower markets
are now seeing accelerating mobile broadband
uptake and explosive growth in data volumes.
In the more developing markets (particularly
the Discoverer markets), mobile has already
had a profound impact in connecting previously
unconnected populations, as well as helping to
provide access to basic services. The impact of
mobile ranges from helping provide access to
essential services such as education and healthcare;
to providing financial services to previously
unbanked populations.
The mobile industry is playing a leading role in
innovation and the development of a broader mobile
ecosystem, with new business models and market
entrants emerging across the region. Countries
across Asia Pacific are moving rapidly up the
adoption curve for new services and applications.
Several online messaging service providers
(including Kakao Talk, Line and WeChat) have
emerged in the region and scaled rapidly, competing
effectively for end users and building broader
platforms that offer a growing range of services