Mind-boggling size of the digital universe

There were almost as many bits in the digital universe last year as there are stars in the physical universe, according to the EMC Digital Universe study released this week.

The study found that in 12 months the average household created enough data to fill 65 iPhones. This is estimated to grow to 318 iPhones by 2020.

Researched and analysed by the International Data Corporation, the study reveals how the emergence of digital technology plays a central role in propelling the volume of the world's data.

The data in the digital universe is put in practical terms.

For example, the study compared it to a stack of iPad Air tablets (7.4mm thick) stretching from the Earth to the Moon. It is estimated this number will grow 6.6 times by 2020.

Furthermore, if a byte of data were a gallon (3.8 litres) of water, it would take 10 seconds to fill an average house. In 2020, it will take only two seconds.

Local EMC manager Servaas Venter said companies of all types were "shape-shifting" into software-defined enterprises.

"As more businesses capitalise on the social and mobile phenomenon, the enormity and potential of the digital universe grows," Venter said.

"Businesses are then presented with greater opportunities to analyse new streams of data and gain more value from the data they already have."

Communications industry analyst Arthur Goldstuck said South African companies were still conservative in making digital media work for them.

"It is largely financial services enterprises that have figured this out. Even media companies are a bit slow - you see a notable divide between print and online, but they are slowly learning," Goldstuck said.

While there is no breakdown of digital use available yet, the 2014 Global Digital Statistics by We Are Social - released in January - found that just over 40% of South Africans used the internet.

Based on these findings, there are just over 20million more mobile subscriptions in the country than there are people.

The daily average time spent online via desktop or laptop was five hours and 37 minutes.