Smartphones are the most popular devices for accessing the mobile web in seven out of eight regional markets in Netbiscuits quarterly report. Sub-Saharan Africa is the only region where feature phones are more widely used.

But even if businesses design their mobile sites to work well on the worlds top 10 most used mobile devices, this only covers 56 per cent of global traffic. Only two device categories have more than 5 per cent share traffic share.

The iPhone – including the 3G, 3GS and 4S – tops the global traffic list with 31 per cent share, followed by the Samsung  GT-I9100 – which includes the Galaxy S2 and Galaxy Z – with 6 per cent and the Samsung Galaxy S3 in third place with four per cent of traffic.

Android has a greater traffic share than iOS across the globe and makes up more than half of the traffic in Eastern Europe and South and Central America. RIM achieved 10 per cent of global traffic share on the Netbiscuits Platform, with six Blackberry devices still among the top 25 global devices, including the Blackberry 8520 in fifth place.

The iPhone 5 captured more than 2 per cent of global traffic share within a month of going on the market. It ranks seventh in global traffic share on the Netbiscuits Platform and claims fourth position in North America.

In 7 out of 8 regional markets studied more traffic comes from feature phones than tablets. This includes North America. But the Kindle Fire is one of the top 25 devices for mobile web browsing here.

Apples iPad contributes a huge amount of traffic in some mature markets. In France, Australia and Singapore, it delivers the second highest amount of traffic, beaten only by pre-5 iPhones. It is fourth in Spain and seventh in the US.

“Enterprises need to ensure that their web app or site adapts for a superior and customised web experience across all devices, browsers and features if they are to have the best chance of engaging and retaining their customers in a highly competitive economy,” said Daniel Weisbeck, CMO of Netbiscuits. “This is where responsive design is never enough. Responsive design doesn’t help companies adapt the experience through faster image conversion, GPS and touch functions as an example.”

The eight regions identified include: the developed markets in Asia Pacific, the developing markets in Asia Pacific, Eastern Europe, Middle East and Northern Africa, North America,  South and Central America, Sub Saharan Africa and Western Europe.