Digital Life: Smartphone Penetration in Brazil is Already High

Richard Mann, Contributing Reporter

This is the first series of infographics on Digital Life in Brazil.

RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – The Brazilian consumer is ready for digital disruption. In many ways, it has already begun.

• More than two out of three Brazilians have access to smartphones and the internet
• Brazilians spend more than 9 hours per day connected (among the highest rates in the world)
• They rank very high in the world in social media use, including the use of Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, Netflix, WhatsApp, and Pinterest
• Digital advertising continues to grow in double digits
• E-Commerce, the sharing economy, and home delivery services are booming

But digital inclusion still faces challenges:

• Access and proficiency vary widely across regions, social classes and age groups
• Internet speeds are slower than in many developed and emerging economies
• E-Commerce penetration is still low and entire categories are still in their infancy
• While Brazilians are avid consumers of digital media, they are not yet making many transactions or spending money online