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Mobile Device Ownership: 2015
According to the Pew Research Center, 92% of Americans owned a cellphone in 2015. Taking it one step further, 68% of Americans owned a smartphone. -
IoT Device Ownership: 2015
There were 15.41 billion IoT devices in use in the year 2015. -
Android Auto Released
Following shortly after Apple's CarPlay, Android Auto hit the market in March of 2015. This allowed Android users to display Google Maps, Spotify, and other applications on their car's infotainment system by connecting it to their Android smartphone. -
Tesla Autopilot Reaches 300 Million Miles
Released in 2014, Autopilot allowed Tesla drivers to sit back and let their car do some of the work. Drivers are required to keep their hands on the steering wheel, but the car will steer itself. By October of 2016, Autopilot had been operated for 300 million miles in total. -
Google Home Released
Google Home was Google's first iteration with of a smart speaker. Coming after the Echo but before the HomePod, Google aimed to capture some of the Smart Speaker market by integrating features in with its already popular Android platform. -
First Cellular Apple Watch Released
Differing from the previous Apple Watches, the Series 3 gave the option for cellular. For the first time in it's history, the Apple Watch was able to make and receive phone calls, as well as use data, without the host iPhone being nearby. -
First 5G Compatible Phone*
The Moto z³, though released with 4G, would eventually become the first 5G compatible phone. Moto Mods were optional add-ons for the z³ which snapped to the back of the phone, adding different functionalities depending on which one you pick. In early 2019, the 5G Moto Mod was released, adding 5G to the Moto z³. -
Mobile Device Ownership: 2021
97% of Americans owned a cellphone in 2021, up from 92% in 2015. That's nearly 322 million people. *Numbers for 2022 have not been released by Pew Research Center yet. For continuity, I decided to use their most recent study. -
IoT Device Ownership: 2022
There are 42.62 billion IoT devices currently in use. -
2022 Internet Usage
The United States had 307.2 million internet users in 2022. Countries with similar populations were as follows:
1. Indonesia - 202.6m
2. Pakistan - 118.8m
3. Brazil - 167.7m
4. Nigeria - 80.93m
5. Bangladesh - 99.9m users -
First 3G Towers Shut Down
All major carriers in the US announced that 3G will no longer be supported by the end of 2022. The first carrier to shut down their 3G towers was AT&T. -
Worldwide Smartphone Ownership: 2022
It is estimated that approximately 3.8 billion people own a smartphone in 2022. -
Apple Drops Support for Physical SIM Cards
With the launch of the iPhone 14 series of phones, Apple no longer allows US users to use a physical SIM card in their phone. Instead, the phone must be activated using eSIM, which the phone can hold up to six at one time. *Note: Only US phones are affected by this. International device will still include a SIM tray.
