China ahead of India in internet accessibility: Pew

Gap in the ownership of smartphones between China and India is one main reason for the digital divide

GN Bureau | March 20, 2017


#China   #India   #smartphone   #digital divide   #Pew Research   #India news  

 Internet use among Indians is less as compared to Chinese, according to findings of the Pew Research Center, a US-based think tank.

“In our latest poll, 71% of Chinese say they use the internet at least occasionally or own a smartphone, our definition of internet users. In contrast, only 21% of Indians say they use the internet or own a smartphone,” the study said.
 
The gap in internet usage is attributed mainly to the ownership of smartphone. As per the Pew report, nearly 68 percent of Chinese own a smartphone as of 2016, compared with 18% of Indians.
 
The growth in smartphone ownership in China has jumped 31 percentage points since 2013. On the other hand, India recorded the growth of only 6 points over the same time period, as per the study. 
 
Broader economic trajectories between the two countries are also one of the main reasons for the digital divide, the Pew findings reveal. 
“Between 2001 and 2011, the share of middle-income Chinese, those making $10.01-$20 (Rs 655 to Rs 1300 approx.) a day, jumped from 3% to 18%. In India over the same decade, the middle class share of the population grew from 1% to 3%. In 2015, China’s gross domestic product per capita (PPP) was over five times that of India. Our own research has shown a strong correlation between per capita income and levels of internet access and reported smartphone ownership,” according to the study. 
 
Moreover, some analysts have argued that Chinese investment in digital infrastructure accounts for China’s technological lead over India, the study said.
 
Other reasons for the digital divide include urban-rural gap and social media use. 
 
“More urban Chinese (72%) own a smartphone compared with rural Chinese (63%), and the same goes for urban Indians (29%) compared with rural Indians (13%).”
 
In India, gender gap on smartphone ownership is also causing digital divide. As per the study, 23 percent of Indian men are more likely than 14 percent of women to own a smartphone.
 

Comments

 

Other News

Millets to make comeback in army ration after half a century

As the UN has declared 2023 as the International Year of Millets, the Indian Army has steered introduction of millets flour in the rations of soldiers. This landmark decision will ensure troops are supplied with native and traditional grains after over half a century, when these were discontinued in favour

Central Bank Digital Currency has game-changing potential

When discussing digital currency, you might think of one or two well-known varieties. There is the digital representation of currency that you access with mobile and online banking services. This currency is the liability of a commercial bank. There is also cryptocurrency, a digital medium of exchange issu

An Insider’s Account of the Zail Singh Years: The Endgame

The Indian President: An Insider’s Account of the Zail Singh Years By K.C. Singh HarperCollins, 312 pages, Rs.699  

‘My Father Was a Simple Man’: Remembering Gen. Rawat

Bipin: The Man Behind the Uniform By Rachna Bisht Rawat Penguin, 207 pages, Rs 599 On the morning of 8 December 202

A Mind and Heart without Corners

In Love, At Ease: Everyday Spirituality with Pramukh Swami By Yogi Trivedi Penguin Random House, 360 pages, Rs 499 Spirituali

Mumbai air quality dips, BMC swings into action

Taking note of Mumbai’s rising air pollution and deteriorating air quality in the recent months, the BMC has attributed rising dust levels to different large-scale development and construction works combined with changes in the wind speed conditions. It has constituted a seven-member committee, which

Visionary Talk: Amitabh Gupta, Pune Police Commissioner with Kailashnath Adhikari, MD, Governance Now


Archives

Current Issue

Opinion

Facebook    Twitter    Google Plus    Linkedin    Subscribe Newsletter

Twitter