Mobile Internet has created millions of "invisible jobs" in the United States, study says

Smartphones are no longer just a tool for making calls, watching videos and surfing the Internet. They have become a driver of economic growth, meeting the needs of many people that could not be met in the past, and providing more people with full-time or part-time jobs. The most typical example is Uber, which matches drivers and passengers.

Recently, a forecast report released by a US company showed that smartphone market matching tools, including Uber, will create 1 million jobs in the United States. Many people will start to have jobs, but the US Department of Labor and other departments cannot count these jobs.

In addition to Uber, other matchmaking tools include Instacart, which delivers goods to your door within an hour. These tools, whether it is a ride, a lunch, or an hour of babysitting, meet people's consumption needs that could not be met in the past and bring a large number of job opportunities.

However, these economic and job opportunities "hidden" in smartphones are difficult to be noticed by American statistical departments and economists.

According to a report by Menlo Ventures, mobile matchmaking tools have created more than 1 million jobs with higher-than-average incomes, all of which are locals in U.S. cities meeting the needs of local consumers. In addition, one million is just a conservative estimate.

These tool jobs created by smartphones do not require complicated on-the-job training or high academic requirements. In addition to having a good income, practitioners can work more freely and choose to work near home.

These advantages are very important. For example, the latest research shows that many industries in the United States are now finding a problem, which is that they are unable to find job seekers who have received professional training and experience in their own business in the company's location.

What factors are driving the growth of "mobile phone jobs"? Monroe's report analyzed that there are three reasons:

First, the increasing popularity of smartphones. According to market research firm Gartner, one billion smartphones were sold worldwide last year. At the same time, big data technology has emerged, and the cost of mobile software development has also been reduced. The atmosphere of the entire technology industry is suitable for the development of the concept of "mobile market".

Secondly, the millennial generation, aged 18 to 34, is naturally adapted to the digital lifestyle and has now become the mainstream consumer group. This group spends $1.3 trillion per year, and according to research by the Hartman Group, the millennial generation has surpassed the "baby boomers" generation to become the most important consumer group in the United States.

In addition, there are more and more freelance opportunities in the job market, and ordinary people have more and more free time to work in "mobile jobs". According to statistics, the number of self-employed freelancers in the United States has reached 42 million, and by 2020, half of the workers in the United States will be freelancers.

Nowadays, people’s potential consumption needs can be obtained through market matching tools and service providers on mobile phones. For example, there are 100 million dog-owning households in the United States, but according to statistics from the U.S. Department of Labor, there are only 230,000 jobs for taking care of pet dogs.

If dog-owning families can use market matching tools on smartphones to find dog caretakers or dog walkers in a more convenient way, a large number of dog-related jobs will emerge.

Whether it is pet dog care, baby care, or car rental and taxi, the market tools on smartphones are bringing together suppliers. In addition, through simpler and smoother purchase processes, consumer demand is further released. In addition, market matchmakers also provide innovative services that traditional practitioners cannot provide (such as making a phone call and having a veterinarian come to your home to see a pet).

Relying on mobile Internet technology, these market matching companies can quickly enter other cities at low cost and create localized employment opportunities. Unlike traditional companies, they do not need to rent offices and open branches before entering new cities, which is costly.

For example, the rapid expansion of the ride-hailing service Uber around the world is impressive. For example, in Seattle, Washington, which has a population of 635,000, Uber's UberX service has as many as 900 drivers, while the city currently has only 300 traditional taxi drivers.

Statistics show that there are 170,000 taxis in the United States. Based on the development scale of Seattle, the total number of drivers for UberX business in the United States is expected to increase to 360,000. This is only about Uber.

If Uber's competitors Lyft and Sidecar are taken into account, the number of drivers providing services via mobile phones in Seattle reaches 3,000.

In addition, the wages that Uber offers to its drivers are higher than the US average. For example, an average US taxi driver can earn $14 per hour, or about $30,000 per year. In contrast, a full-time Uber driver can earn $18 per hour, or $39,000 per year.

Another example is Rover, which provides dog-sitting services. There are currently 230,000 dog-sitting jobs in the United States, with an average of one professional dog sitter for every 430 dog-owning households. Obviously, supply cannot meet demand.

If the mobile phone matchmaking market allows efficient matching of supply and demand (which is exactly what Rover does), the number of dog caregivers will increase significantly, with an average of one caregiver for every 261 dog-owning households. It is said that Rover alone has created 25,000 dog care jobs.

If the competitors of the above companies are also included, as well as other service industries (such as restaurant services, creative services, technology services, home services, etc.), the digital market for smartphones will bring millions of new jobs.

In addition, as companies such as Uber expand their business around the world, the increase in these "mobile phone jobs" will also be a global phenomenon.

Some people may question whether new companies like Uber can create jobs and play a role in economic development. However, these companies provide essential services to consumers. Once they grow in size and show network effects, these new companies will become long-term sustainable companies like Amazon, which can withstand the wind and rain of economic changes.