Hands up if you have used the internet before! Well, you are reading this, so you can all put them down now. It would be fair to say that adoption of the internet is now at a record high, even people living in third-world countries are now having the ability to take advantage of cheaper prices for both connectivity and for the devices used to connect to the internet.
4.5 billion people or 60% of the world’s population now use the internet. That number is growing year on year. So with that in mind, what exactly are people using it for? Well, entertainment is a major reason, but which are the most popular entertainment activities on the internet?
Well, in no particular order, they are:
Music/Movie Streaming
Music/movie streaming is an industry on a par with the one coming up after this in terms of worth. Netflix, Amazon, Spotify, Hulu, YouTube Music, BBC iPlayer, and more provide apps that we can use to catch up on the latest movies, television shows, and music. Accessible via any mobile device that can connect to the internet, we can watch Transformers on our phones, listen to Miley Cyrus on our tablets, or catch up with Game of Thrones on our laptops.
The growth of this industry has made a real dent in television and cable as we spend more time online than we do watching television. Accessibility and convenience is what it comes down to as we can get what we want while on the go.
Online Gaming
Long gone are the days where you need an expensive games console or PC to enjoy adequate level online gaming. Thanks to the evolution of technology, smartphones and tablets can now run high quality games. In fact, the mobile gaming industry has overtaken all other gaming markets.
In 2019, 2.5 billion people played mobile games. That accounts for a third of the world’s population. The industry is now worth a staggering $150 billion+ making it bigger than both the console and PC gaming market. The primary reason for this is accessibility. Everybody has a mobile phone, but not everybody will pay for a PC or games console.
On top of this, most mobile games are free to download. The free to play model allows people to enjoy the game without paying while also offering them the ability to make in-store purchases.
Social Media
In terms of time spent online, social media tops everything else. Globally we spend more time online at social media sites like Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Tik Tok, and YouTube than doing anything else. As you will know, social media allows us to keep in touch with friends and family, meet new people and share photos, videos, posts, and all other types of content.
The modern world is all about likes, follows, shares, subscribes, tweets, and views. At any given time, whether during a lunch break, when commuting, or sitting back at home, we can log in and see what everybody else has been up to.
iGaming
Depending on the legality in your country, online gambling, otherwise known as iGaming, is another popular form of online entertainment. Whether sports betting, bingo, online poker, or enjoying the games available at online casinos, the iGaming industry is enjoyed by millions of people around the world.
In the early days, it was considered risky to play at online casinos due to a lack of regulation, but there are now several reputable regulatory authorities in place to ensure a safe and secure gambling experience.
So if you like to play table games like Blackjack, spin graphically appealing xo slots, or play against others at poker online, we suggest finding a good quality provider that will allow you to do so. The best part is that you do not have to play for actual money as many online casinos offer free versions of their games. You can see these for yourself via the homepage of this xo slot site.
Conclusion
When it comes to entertainment, the internet is the number one source. We would bet that most of you have enjoyed all the above at some point. What is exciting is that as technology improves and prices tumble is that one day, we might get to a point where everyone in the population is connected to the internet.