Smartphone penetration in the Netherlands 2014-2018

As of 2018, the smartphone penetration in the Netherlands amounted to 91 percent. This is an increase of three percent compared to the previous year and the highest usage rate in the period between 2014 and 2018. According to the Statista Digital Market Outlook forecast, the number of smartphone users will increase steadily from 2018 onwards. In 2018, there were nearly 15 million smartphone users in the Netherlands, whereas by 2024 it is forecast that this will grow to 16.64 million users.

Mobile providers and subscriptions

Majority of the mobile subscriptions in the Netherlands were from Vodafone, KPN and T-Mobile. According to a survey on the consumer behavior of the telecom market, 20 percent of the respondents indicated to have a mobile subscription at Vodafone, whereas KPN and T-Mobile had shares of 19 and 17 percent, respectively. Observing the purchase behavior of individuals with mobile subscriptions, nearly 50 percent said to have bought their subscription through the website of the provider in 2018. Purchasing subscriptions through the telecom shop decreased, from nine percent in 2017 to six percent in 2018.

Leading smartphone models based on mobile traffic

In the fourth quarter of 2018, the iPhone 7 was the most used smartphone model at that time, by roughly nine percent, whereas the iPhone 6S and 8 had user shares of 5.9 and 5.2 percent, respectively. The most used Samsung smartphone in the Netherlands, based on mobile traffic, was the Galaxy S8 with a market share of 4.8 percent.