Saudi Arabia witnessed in 2023 a notable surge in internet usage, reaching a penetration rate of 99 percent, indicating nearly universal access across its population.
According to the “Internet Saudi Arabia” report for 2023, published by the Communications, Space, and Technology Commission, both men and women demonstrated high levels of internet usage, with rates of 99.3 percent and 98.5 percent respectively.
Read more: Saudi Arabia’s ICT spending to reach $37.5 billion in 2024
The report reveals that a majority of users (52.3 percent) spend more than seven hours per day online, with the majority accessing the internet from their homes (84.7 percent), while on the move (72 percent), and from their workplaces (43.4 percent). The peak hours for internet usage were between 9 PM and 11 PM, with Fridays experiencing the highest activity. Additionally, the report identifies December as the month with the highest internet usage.
In terms of devices, mobile phones are the primary means of internet access, accounting for 98.9 percent of usage, followed by computers at 55 percent and tablets at 39 percent. The dominant mobile operating systems are Android at 61.5 percent and iOS at 38.1 percent, while Windows leads among computer operating systems at 91.1 percent, followed by Mac at 7 percent.
The report also highlights the most prevalent online activities, including government services, accessed by 95.5 percent of users, and banking services, accessed by 73.6 percent of users. Online shopping is also popular, with 63.7 percent of users purchasing products or services online. Women engage in online shopping to a greater extent (74.6 percent) compared to men (55.7 percent).
Infrastructure development
Furthermore, the report emphasizes the significant role of infrastructure development in facilitating widespread internet usage. Saudi Arabia ranks among the top ten countries globally for mobile internet speeds. The growth of the Internet of Things (IoT) is also evident, with over 12 million IoT subscriptions. In 2023, internet data traffic exceeded 42 million terabytes, averaging 44 gigabytes per month per individual.
For more news on technology, click here.
