According to the latest research and insight provided by market research group IDC, one billion connected devices – including everything from smartphones to tablets – shipped in 2011.

If you think that’s impressive, just wait until 2016 when that figure is expected to double.

The universe of smart connected devices, including PCs, media tablets, and smartphones, saw shipments of more than 916 million units and revenues surpassing $489 billion dollars in 2011.

These numbers reflect the combined total from IDC’s Worldwide Quarterly PC Tracker, Mobile Phone Tracker, and Media Tablet Tracker, the company says.

“Whether it’s consumers looking for a phone that can tap into several robust ‘app’ ecosystems, businesses looking at deploying tablet devices into their environments, or educational institutions working to update their school’s computer labs, smart, connected, compute-capable devices are playing an increasingly important role in nearly every individual’s life,” says Bob O’Donnell, vice president, Clients and Displays at IDC.

In the short term, unit shipments for smart connected devices should top 1.1 billion worldwide in 2012. By 2016, IDC predicts shipments will reach 1.84 billion units, more than double the 2011 figure.