According to M:Metrics, the iPhone is already the most popular device
for accessing news and information on the mobile Web, with 85 percent of
iPhone users accessing news and information in the month of January.
M:Metrics found that 30.9 percent of iPhone owners watched
mobile TV or video, versus a 4.6 market average, and more than double the
rate for all smartphone users. Usage of social networking is also popular
among iPhone users: 49.7 percent accessed a social networking site in
January, nearly twelve times the market average. Twenty percent of iPhone
owners accessed Facebook, one of the first Web properties to customize its
content for the iPhone, versus 1.5 percent of the total mobile market.
“The iPhone has certainly delivered on its hype,” said Mark Donovan, senior
analyst, M:Metrics. “Beyond a doubt, this device is compelling consumers to
interact with the mobile Web, delivering off-the-charts usage from
everything to text messaging to mobile video.”
“This data indicate that the iPhone’s widgets are an effective means to
drive mobile content consumption,” observed Donovan. “Two featured widgets,
YouTube and Google Maps, are extremely popular among iPhone users: 30.4
percent accessed YouTube and 36 percent used Google Maps. In comparison,
only one percent of all mobile subscribers accessed YouTube and 2.6 percent
checked out Google Maps.”
Mobile Content Consumption: iPhone, Smartphone and Total Market:
January 2008
Activity iPhone Smartphone* Market
-------- ------ ---------- ------
Any news or info via browser 84.8% 58.2% 13.1%
Accessed web search 58.6% 37.0% 6.1%
Watched mobile TV and/or video 30.9% 14.2% 4.6%
Watched on-demand video or TV programming 20.9% 7.0% 1.4%
Accessed Social Networking Site or Blog 49.7% 19.4% 4.2%
Listened to music on mobile phone 74.1% 27.9% 6.7%
Source: M:Metrics, Inc., Copyright © 2008. Survey of U.S. mobile
subscribers. Data based on three-month moving average for period ending
31st January 2008, n = 31,389.
*Smartphones include devices running Windows, Symbian, RIM or Apple
operating systems.
M:Metrics is also the first to report use of the music playing capability
of the iPhone, with 74.1 percent of iPhone owners listening to mobile music
in January, compared to 6.7 percent of the total mobile audience. Eighty
four percent of iPhone owners who use an MP3 player use an iPod.
M:Metrics revealed the demographic composition of iPhone users, which are
similar to the demographics of other smartphone owners. They are more
likely to be: male, aged 25-34, earn more than $100,000 and have a college
degree, than the average mobile subscriber.
“While the demographics of iPhone users are very similar to all smartphone
owners, the iPhone is outpacing other smartphones in driving mobile content
consumption by a significant margin,” said Donovan. “In addition to the
attributes of the device itself, another important factor to consider is
the fact that all iPhones on AT&T are attached to an unlimited data plan.
Our data shows that once the fear of surprise data charges is eliminated,
mobile content consumption increases dramatically, regardless of device.”
M:Metrics applies trusted media measurement methodologies to assess the
audience for mobile content and applications. As the world’s most
authoritative mobile media measurement firm, M:Metrics delivers the most
accurate mobile market metrics through the world’s largest monthly survey
of mobile subscribers as well as automated data collection methodologies.
Below are the findings of its January Benchmark Survey.
Mobile Subscriber Monthly Consumption of Content and Applications
M:Metrics Benchmark Survey: January 2008
US EU FR DE IT ES UK
----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- -----
Total mobile subscribers 219m 220.5m 45.5m 48.5m 46.5m 33.5m 46.5m
(13+)
Watched video 4.6% 5.5% 5.3% 2.8% 6.7% 8.1% 5.6%
Listened to music 6.7% 16.9% 14.7% 15.9% 13.9% 21.1% 19.9%
Accessed news/info via 13.1% 9.4% 9.5% 5.5% 7.9% 7.5% 16.5%
browser
Received SMS ads 19.2% 50.6% 64.7% 31.1% 56.0% 73.1% 35.4%
Played downloaded game 9.0% 8.4% 4.1% 7.5% 9.0% 12.3% 10.4%
Accessed downloaded 4.7% 2.7% 1.4% 2.3% 4.0% 2.4% 3.4%
application
Sent/received photos or 21.9% 28.4% 25.5% 22.1% 33.2% 31.7% 30.6%
videos
Purchased ringtones 9.5% 4.1% 4.3% 3.8% 4.9% 3.9% 3.6%
Used email 12.1% 8.4% 6.3% 6.9% 10.6% 9.1% 9.4%
Accessed social networking 4.2% 2.6% 2.2% 1.1% 2.3% 2.5% 4.7%
sites
Source: M:Metrics, Inc., Copyright © 2008. Survey of mobile subscribers.
Data based on three-month moving average for period ending 30th January
2007, mobile subscribers in France, n = 12,783 Germany, n = 15,585; Italy,
n = 13,059; Spain, n = 12,720; United Kingdom, n = 15,259; United States,
n = 32,262; the cities of Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Shenyang, Chengdu,
Wuhan and Xi'an for the three-month average ending China n = 5,163
About M:Metrics
M:Metrics is the mobile media authority. As the only research firm to
measure the audience for mobile media, M:Metrics provides the most accurate
metrics on actual mobile content consumption by applying trusted media
measurement methodologies to the mobile market.
M:Metrics’ monthly syndicated data service gives clients the critical
insights and intelligence required to inform smart business strategies and
the competitive benchmarks needed to evaluate the performance of
competitors and partners. M:Metrics is a private, venture-funded
corporation headquartered in Seattle, with offices in San Francisco and
London.