Google 2011 Zeitgeist terms show huge desire for iPhone 5

The hype around the expected launch of the iPhone 5 made it the second fastest rising search term in 2011, according to Google's annual Zeitgeist report into the most popular search terms around the world.

The fact that Apple launched the iPhone 4S in October, rather than the iPhone 5, would certainly have been a major disappointment for those searching the term, although Apple still managed to shift a fair few units nonetheless.

The iPad 2 featured on the list in fifth place. Apple products were the only devices from a technology vendor to feature on any of the data released by Google on a series of major search categories.

Deals firm Groupon, recently launched on the stock market, came in fourth place, while football game FIFA 12 was third.

In first place, though, was the term 'royal wedding', with reference to Kate Middleton and Prince William, who tied the knot in April at a lavish ceremony in Westminster Abbey watched by countless millions.

Meanwhile, Google's list of searches beginning 'what is' revealed some interesting trends, with the term 'what is iCloud' featuring in ninth place as Apple managed to capture the interest of those who had never before ventured into the cloud.

Most notable, though, was the sixth most popular search 'what are cookies' which, unless people really know nothing of biscuits, suggests that internet users' awareness of the tracking technology and their desire to understand what it does is growing rapidly.

This will be welcome news to European regulators and the Information Commissioner's Office, which is overseeing implementation of the cookie law that requires users' consent to install and run the technology when they visit a web site.

Perhaps more worrying for rights holders is the fact that 'what is copyright' was the seventh most popular term, suggesting that internet users don't have a great deal of understanding about the fact that content has a legal owner and that there are laws to protect it.

Fastest rising Google searches in 2011

1. Royal wedding
2. IPhone 5
3. Fifa 12
4. Groupon
5. IPad 2
6. Ryan Dunn
7. Adele
8. Minecraft
9. Rebecca Black
10. Ed Sheeran