It is understood that recently, Ma Huateng, Chairman of the Board and CEO of Tencent predicted that in the next three to four years, there will be a crossover point for mobile Internet. At that time, the amount of time spent online via mobile Internet, the number of users, and the frequency of use will surpass what we currently understand as PC-based Internet access. This period will be filled with opportunities and competition.
Ma Huateng stated that from the perspective of online time, Internet consumers now spend an average of 2.7 hours per day on the Internet, surpassing the 2.5 hours spent on traditional television media. Although the absolute number of Internet users is large, the growth rate has slowed down. What is most noteworthy is the growth of mobile Internet, which has been very rapid over the past two to three years, especially in the last year where it grew by 80%. The widespread use of mobile Internet, particularly through smart terminals, has greatly promoted its application. Mobile Internet, together with social networks, will become the two main battlegrounds for online games in the future.
Why does mobile Internet develop so quickly? Because it's fast and convenient. Ma Huateng said that mobile Internet frees people from spatial and temporal constraints, allowing them to make full use of fragmented time. Whether waiting for the elevator or listening to a speech, one can access the Internet at any time. Therefore, he is very optimistic about the prospects of mobile Internet but also maintains respect for the competition within it. He mentioned that from a user perspective, mobile Internet users are still fewer than PC desktop users, but he predicts that in the next three to four years, there will be a crossover point. At that time, the amount of time, the number of users, and the frequency of use of mobile Internet via phones or other mobile terminals will surpass that of PCs. "There are many opportunities, and the competition will be fierce. For five years or even longer, there may be situations where no profits are made, but the long-term prospects are very good."
Ma Huateng indicated that Tencent will integrate social networking with its existing business and will no longer limit its operations to instant messaging. Considering the trend towards openness in the Internet, Tencent will leverage emerging cloud computing technologies to make its user resources and platform resources more open. Even competitors' services can be personalized and integrated into the platform, allowing third parties and even competitors to enjoy Tencent's user resources.