Table of Contents
Foreword..................................................................................................................................... v
Chapter 1: The Growth of the Internet ..................................................................................... 1
Host Computers and Domains................................................................................................... 2
The U.S. Online Population....................................................................................................... 4
The Worldwide Online Population............................................................................................ 6
Websites on the Internet ............................................................................................................ 8
Internet Service Providers and Web Browsers ........................................................................ 10
Internet Search Engines........................................................................................................... 12
Endnotes................................................................................................................................. 14
Chapter 2: The Hardware Sector............................................................................................. 21
Adoption Rates of Entertainment and Communications Technologies ................................... 22
Semiconductors ....................................................................................................................... 24
Personal Computer Sales......................................................................................................... 26
Cell Phones............................................................................................................................. 28
Smartphones and PDAs........................................................................................................... 30
Data Storage ............................................................................................................................ 32
Gaming Hardware ................................................................................................................... 34
Televisions .............................................................................................................................. 36
Other Hardware ....................................................................................................................... 38
Endnotes................................................................................................................................. 40
Chapter 3: The Communications Sector ................................................................................. 49
Telephone Subscribership........................................................................................................ 50
U.S. Broadband Adoption ....................................................................................................... 52
Worldwide Broadband Adoption............................................................................................. 54
Emerging Broadband Service Platforms.................................................................................. 56
The Wireless Industry in the U.S............................................................................................. 58
The Worldwide Wireless Industry........................................................................................... 60
Third-Generation Wireless Technology .................................................................................. 62
Spectrum and the DTV Transition........................................................................................... 64
Radio Frequency Identification ............................................................................................... 66
Voice Over Internet Protocol................................................................................................... 68
E-mail and Instant Messaging ................................................................................................. 70
Convergence and the Bundling of Services ............................................................................. 72
Endnotes................................................................................................................................. 74
iiiPiracy.................................................................................................................................... 138
Endnotes............................................................................................................................... 140
Chapter 7: The Worldwide Digital Economy........................................................................ 145
Funding for New Ideas .......................................................................................................... 146
Mergers & Acquisitions ........................................................................................................ 148
IT-Sector Revenue Trends and Stock Indices........................................................................ 150
IT Spending.......................................................................................................................... 152
IT-Sector Employment and Productivity............................................................................... 154
Outsourcing and Offshoring .................................................................................................. 156
The European Digital Economy ............................................................................................ 158
The Chinese Digital Economy............................................................................................... 160
The Indian Digital Economy ................................................................................................. 162
Endnotes............................................................................................................................... 164
Appendix: Digital Economy Timeline, July 2007 – June 2008............................................ 173
List of Abbreviations ............................................................................................................... 181