A recent report from Cloudflare highlights a significant increase in global internet traffic, which is projected to close 2024 with a remarkable growth of 17.2%. This surge is largely driven by the proliferation of connected devices and a sustained interest in artificial intelligence.
While the global average reflects this impressive growth, disparities in internet access remain. For instance, Guinea experienced an astonishing 350% increase in internet traffic this year. Despite these variations, the overall trend shows a consistent rise in internet usage, particularly after mid-August, when growth accelerated.
Google continues to dominate as the most popular search engine, with Chrome leading as the preferred browser worldwide. In the realm of applications, WhatsApp remains the most utilized, while Facebook retains its status as the leading social media platform, ahead of competitors like Instagram, X, and TikTok.
A notable newcomer is Starlink, whose satellite internet service saw global traffic increase by over 330% in 2024. Meanwhile, OpenAI maintained its position as the top generative AI service for the second consecutive year, with new entrants like Codeium and Claude making their mark in the top ten.
Despite the growth, internet connectivity is not uniform. The report indicates that there were 225 significant internet outages worldwide this year, affecting various countries differently. Notably, Argentina experienced stability, while Cuba faced major disruptions due to electrical failures caused by natural disasters.
The report also reveals that the ten countries with the fastest internet connections average speeds of 200 Mbps, with 41% of traffic coming from mobile devices. Interestingly, nearly one-third of mobile traffic is generated by Apple iOS devices, while Android accounts for almost 90% in 29 countries.
However, the year was not without its challenges; the gaming and betting industries became prime targets for cybercriminals, surpassing the financial sector in attacks. As the digital landscape evolves, the need for robust security measures becomes increasingly critical.