In regards to the comparison between email and text message, I'm a little bit worried about the possibility that people will be spammed and overwhelmed by messages and notifications on their phones as it happened on email too.

Interesting facts. But regarding fact 3, how can anyone possibly know how many people own a toothbrush?!

As a no-brainer and best practice, please ALWAYS include sources where you got your information.

Thanks Charles - The stats - and tons more - are all available from the Mobile Marketing Association. Jeanne

Hi Anon - 
 
According to the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry, 5.1 billion people have a cell phone but only 4.2 billion people have a toothbrush.  
 
Jeanne

These really are amazing (and amazingly tweetable!) statistics, with potentially huge implications for marketing. 
 
By the way, I love the format of these posts...I like being able to pick a statistic to tweet about, instead of just the article title.

I agree with most of your points and that mobile devices are the real personal computer. 
 
However, i find that most people won't go through the effort of downloading a QR app and scan a code. There are too many steps for someone to take - hello NFC! Marketers, like us, are excited and embrace the technology, but it still remains to be seen whether mainstream consumers will adapt. It's fascinating to see how engaged people are with their phones and they are now status symbols, almost like expensive watches. Take a look around you next time your out-and-about and look at how many people are using their phones... 
 
Maybe we're just early adopters of this new-fangled technology like the Gopher browser of the early nineties. That turned out to be a pretty big deal, eh? 
 
Good stuff Jamie! 

Hi, Folks -- 
 
Great comments and questions. Here are the follow-up answers to some of the questions outlined above: 
 
1) Charles mentioned that it's important to source the statistics in the post, which is absolutely correct. I have the sources for each of these statistics hanging on the wall in my office. I'll update the post with the sources when I'm back in the office tomorrow. 
 
2) Anon asked about the "toothbrush" statistic. I looked into this statistic in-depth because it was so hard to fathom, but it holds up. It was first mentioned last year at a mobile marketing association meeting in Asia. Since then, several people have investigated it and it's directionally correct. So, that statistic is based on good, solid homework (not just speculation). 
 
3) Rick asks whether QR codes will be replaced by Near Field Communications (NFC). In my humble opinion, QR codes will have about a 2 year window where they'll be semi-popular. Eventually, though, they WILL be replaced by NFC, which will be much easier to use. (For example, in-store posters will have NFC communicators imbedded into them so people can just wave their phone in front of the poster to get a discount coupon.) 
 
4) If you're really interested in learning about setting up, launching and managing a mobile media campaign, you might want to check out the Go Mobile Conference and Workshop in Atlanta on October 6th. Jeanne Hopkins from HubSpot and I will be the speakers. http://www.GoMobile.EventBrite.com. 
 
Thanks for all the great comments, folks. Keep 'em coming! 
 
-- Jamie Turner 

Interesting stats but that doesn't mean a company should jump in. When trying to determine that there are two questions to answer: 
 
1. Do you current web metrics show mobile usage of your site 
2. How do your potential (and current) customers use their phones? 
 
The extent that you can use some of these technologies depends on the types of phones as well. In the US there are many smart phones. In Thailand where I am currently everyone has a cell phone but the growth of smart phones isn't like in the US. 
 
Either way there is no doubt it's a growing trend. Tablet computer purchases are on the rise, and at the very least a company should support the major devices on their websites. I'm halfway there with the blog; next is the website.

Jamie,  
 
As a printer, I can tell you that the wild rage of early 2000's was RFID. For those who are not aware, RFID uses an electronic tag through a reader to track something (think inventory). The electronic tag can be printed as a label through conductive ink. Interestingly, RFID was supposed to replace the barcode! Now we have 2-D barcodes! 
 
How does NFC differ than RFID? Is NFC limited to a chip? 
 
I'm going to start researching how to print NFC tags for marketing materials!! 

Jeanne,  
 
Thank you so much for these amazing statistics! As an entrepreneur in the mobile space, I'm well aware of the benefits to businesses to build a mobile presence, but your stats were both validating and extremely intriguing!  

Great stuff. I RT'd the toothbrush stat!  
 
Another stat I'd like to see is the number of landlines versus mobile handsets. (no pressure though!) I did a Google on this and Page 1 is all from 2008/09 but globally I suspect that there are huge swaths of population that completely skipped a landline and dove straight in to mobile.  
 
In any event, great post.

The mobile phone vs toothbrush stat is not comparing like-for-like - yes there are 5 billion active phones out there, but many people have more than one. Actually I own more than one toothbrush too!

I wonder who the largest contributor to the Mobile Marketing Association is. Not a toothbrush maker I dare say. I still think mobile marketing is rather limited until we can get some standards happening.  
 
About time the Telco's stepped in and set some rules of engagement between the major players. They're worse than kids arguing over whose bat the're going to use to play ball with.  
 
I just hope HTML 5.0 and CSS nesting will solve all the arguments and put all the big players to rest. Then we can all settle in on what the next generation of Mobile Devices will offer. And they call it progress don't they.

The beauty of stats huh, you do realise that these stats are far from correct?  
 
For example the stats 3 and 4 are actually explaining each other.  
 
Problem here is that people love statistics and often believe everything that is written in a stat format, this is not only very wrong it is also very dangerous and misleading 

These stats are great! Mobile has so much promise, and when used in an integrated multichannel marketing campaign - the results are astounding.

Great stats love the toothbrush one!

Thanks again for all the comments. As promised, I'll update this post with the sources for the stats. They're on the wall in my office, but I've been home for 2 days with a cold.  
 
I'll be back soon. Keep the comments coming!

I have a mobile phone sitting on my desk; it never leaves my desk.  
 
I would hate for people to be able to contact me 24/7. 
 
If I don't recognise the caller I don't answer or delete the text.  
 
I wonder how many of the 5.1 million people with mobile phones are like that! 
 
-Christina

As an SEO person I reply heavily on data and most importantly on qualified data. I would love to know your sources : )

Hi, Brian -- 
 
Thanks for your questions about the sources for the data. Each of the statistics has a source next to it. If you Google the stat along with the source, you're likely to track down the specific report. 
 
Thanks! 
 
Sincerely, 
Jamie Turner