1bn smartphone users by 2016

More than four-fifths of devices controlled by Apple, Google or Microsoft.

Market researcher Forrester expects one billion customers will have adopted smartphones by within the next four years, with America accounting for 257 million smartphones and 126 million tablets.

Unsurprisingly, but still impressively, Apple, Google and Microsoft will hold 91 per cent of the US smartphone market, and 98 per cent of the tablet market, according to the report.

Meanwhile, public wi-fi is set to grow from 1.3 million to 5.8 million, presumably in order to offer browsing to the widespread device use.

The report says that 350 million workers will use smartphones, while 200 million will take their own device to the workplace and 70 per cent will use tablets for their role.

Ted Schadler, a principal analyst at Forrester and a report author, said: "Mobile is the new face of engagement. Businesses should stop thinking about it as a small website on a tiny computer, and start thinking about mobile as being deeply embedded systems of engagement. That turns out to have huge implications."