China sees more older people and lower-tier cities move online amid pandemic
As people stayed home to avoid the coronavirus, older and less wealthy people suddenly had more reasons to use the internet
Before the coronavirus crisis emerged in January, the number of active mobile internet users in China stayed pretty much the same throughout 2019. But as the pandemic forced people to spend more of their lives online, the country saw a remarkable increase in its online population. An additional 17 million people were suddenly turning to smartphones and tablets to work, shop and socialize online.
Residents in lower-tier cities are discovering mobile internet
The new users weren’t equally spread across the country. As migrants returned to their hometowns for the Lunar New Year holiday, first- and second-tier cities saw about 7 million fewer mobile internet users. And as the viral outbreak forced these urban workers to extend their stays back home, they appear to have been converting parents and kids into mobile internet users.
In China, where you live determines the tech you use
Lower-tier cities saw 24 million new mobile internet users in the first quarter. Among the 17 million new converts, more than half are 41 years old or older. The next largest cohort of users are under 24, who account for a third of the newbies.
Older people are finally trying out digital payments
