Consumer VoIP Featured Article
November 04, 2008
Rise in Smartphones Leads to Increased Mobile Local Search Activity
By A new consumer study of U.S. mobile phone users revealed that 18.9 percent of mobile consumers now use a smartphone. It also showed that 49.2 percent of those surveyed plan to buy an advanced mobile device within the next two years.
Story continues below ↓
Entitled, “Mobile Market View”, the tracking study of mobile user behavior was conducted by The Kelsey Group with research partner, ConStat. The study is repeated on a regular basis to track and interpret consumer usage patterns as well as interest in specific features, and receptiveness to new business models across mobile devices and platforms. The first wave of the study was conducted in September 2007 and the second in October 2008. It consisted of an online 39-question survey of 512 U.S. mobile phone users aged 18 and older.
Matt Booth, senior vice president and program director, Interactive Local Media, The Kelsey Group, pointed out that the introduction of more user-friendly smartphones is creating a new Internet experience which is as easy as traditional voice connectivity.
Booth said, "The implication is that users will increasingly turn to their smartphones for local commercial and social search experiences, and the data certainly suggest this is already happening."
The rapid proliferation of smartphones has seen a significant increase in consumers’ mobile activity. Listing statistics for activities using mobile devices during the past six months, the survey shows that 17.6 percent users downloaded or looked at maps or directions, an increase from 10.8 percent in 2007. 15.6 percent of those surveyed said that they searched the Internet for products or services in the local area, an increase from 9.8 percent in 2007.
Other commonly used features include searching for products or services outside the local area (14.3 percent in 2008, 6.4 percent in 2007), checking for information on movies or other entertainment (13.7 percent in 2008, 8.2 percent in 2007), and connecting with a social network, such as MySpace (News - Alert) or Facebook (9.6 percent in 2008, 3.4 percent in 2007).
Steve Marshall, director of research and consulting, The Kelsey Group, said that a qualitative difference in consumer usage of mobile phones was visible, particularly with regard to the adoption of smartphones.
The findings of the “Mobile Market View” are in line with The Kelsey Group's U.S. Mobile Advertising Forecast: 2007-2012 (September 2007), which predicted that mobile Internet users would grow at a compound annual growth rate of 19 percent through 2012.
According to the latest “Mobile Market View” conclusions, the percentage of mobile users who access the Internet from their mobile devices increased from 32.4 percent in 2007 to 38.9 percent in 2008, an annual growth rate of 20 percent.
The Kelsey Group, a division of BIA Advisory Services, is a provider of research, data and strategic analysis on directories, small-business advertising, online local media, vertical market advertising and mobile advertising.
Don’t forget to check out TMCnet’s White Paper Library, which provides a selection of in-depth information on relevant topics affecting the IP Communications industry. The library offers white papers, case studies and other documents which are free to registered users. Today’s featured white paper is Fixed Service Strategies for Mobile Network Operators, brought to you by Comverse (News - Alert).
Nitya Prashant is a contributing editor for TMCnet. To read more of Nitya's articles, please visit her columnist page.
Edited by Michelle Robart
