More people could be tempted to sell phones and pick up a new, internet-enabled model such as the Apple iPhone in order to allow them to browse the web.

New figures published by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) have revealed that the mobile phone is the most popular way for people to get online wirelessly, with 31 per cent of internet users taking advantage of this technology.

The study found that youngsters are most likely to use the iPhone and other web-enabled smartphones to access the internet, with 44 per cent of 16 to 24-year-old internet users doing this.

In total, the number of people who used some form of mobile device - including phones, palmtops and laptops - to browse the web rose to 45 per cent this year, up from 40 per cent in 2009.

"Since 2006 we have seen a significant increase in the number of people using the internet, with the number of adults accessing the internet every day almost doubling to just over 30 million," added Mark Williams from the ONS.