Word: Mobile-centrism

Definition: Dependance on and around mobile devices in a way that goes beyond sheer usage and into lifestyle and activity penetration.

Thoughts: This word was first brought to my attention in the Smashing Magazine article about mobile use in China. In China, as of June 2014, more people accessed the internet via mobile than via PC. This growth has led designers to move beyond "mobile-first" and into the mindset of "mobile-only", bypassing desktop and relegating it to an afterthought.

In China, the mobile-centrism is so strong that a user's cell phone number can be equated to the value of a US social security number with people using their mobile numbers for everything from digital wallets, to proof of ID, to login-in credentials.

While China is leading the way in mobile access and centrism, the US has seen its own uptick in lifestyle infiltration, particularly when it comes to e-commerce. Mobile payments and mobile wallets are likely to only get stronger and more widespread in the coming years.

As UX designers we know the power and prevalence of mobile and it's exciting to think about how this saturation will further penetrate lifestyle.

Question: Can you foresee the rest of world catching up with China's current mobile practices in the near future? If not, what might happen if the rest of the world does not follow suit?