Saudi Gazette The Kingdom has the highest number of mobile phone users than any other country in the world. The craze for those cellular devices are to such an extent that apart from adults even children as young as nine years of age possess one of their own. Most adults and youth have two for they leave their old ones and buy the new, latest, advanced models. A survey conducted under the umbrella of the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development revealed that in the Kingdom there are 188 registered mobile phones for every 100 Saudis. The next is Macau in China, which for every 100 residents have 206 mobile phones. The Saudi Gazette contacted the sales manager of the Axiom Telecom branch in Dhahran Mall and asked him for his input on the Kingdom being the biggest buyer of mobile phones in the world. Ahmad Ibrahim who works at Axiom Telecom in Dhahran Mall said, “Actually, I am not surprised by this report. In the last three to four years we have experienced an exponential increase in sales of mobile phones and other telecommunication devices. People these days are very interested in the latest and most modern electronic devices in general. “A large majority of our customers are looking for mobile phones with dual cameras and others want hand-held phones with high quality electronic gaming. It is not uncommon for people to own more than one phone or to upgrade their mobile phones and buy a new one every year. “However, I think there is a misuse of the technologies. For example, when colored laptops entered the market that had quality and technical functions equal to the older black versions, they were sold in remarkable numbers and at higher prices. People here are very interested in appearances. If a laptop can carry out the exact same functions and can be used for the same educational, entertainment, and communication purposes, does it matter if it is pink or purple or black?” The survey prepared by the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development further stated that the number of people with Internet access has been increasing in Saudi Arabia, but it is still relatively low when compared to its neighboring Gulf countries. __
