Nielsen Mobile announced some key iPhone findings before the iPhone 3G launch:
As of Q1 2008: Nielsen Mobile estimates that there are 2.3 million US mobile subscribers using an iPhone
The iPhone accounts for 1% of all embedded mobile phone users in the US
Who is using the iPhone?
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67% of US iPhone users are male
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Among users ages 18 and older:
- 15.4% are ages 18-24
- 33.0% are 25-34
- 19.9% are 35-44
- 13.3% are 45-54
- 14.4% are 55-64
- 4.0 % are 65+
- 39.3% of iPhone users have a household income of $100,000+, down from 43% in Q4 2007, but still higher than the average mobile consumer (20%)
Features Used
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- 75% say they use the phone's MP3 player
- 76% send email over their phone
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68% say they use the Wi-Fi functionality of the phone
How do iPhone users consume mobile media differently?
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37% of iPhone users watch video on their phone (making them 10 times as likely to watch video as the average mobile consumer)
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82% access the internet over their phone (making them 5 times as likely to access the internet as the average mobile consumer)
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17% stream music over their phone (making them 7 times as likely to stream music as the average mobile consumer)
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20% play online games on their phone (making them 9 times as likely to play online games as the average mobile consumer)
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33% instant message over their phone (making them 3 times as likely to instant message as the average mobile consumer
At a price
- 36% of iPhone users have a monthly bill of over $100 (compared to 20% of all mobile subscribers)
Business or pleasure?
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15% say their company foots the bill
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24% say they use their phone for business but pay the bill themselves
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61% say they are a personal user
Comments from Nic Covey, director of insights at Nielsen Mobile
iPhone users use their mobile phone in wildly different ways from the average mobile consumer.
The iPhone has been a critical ingredient in the growing mobile media market not just because a couple million people have gone out and purchased one, but because this one device has moved the needle on consumer awareness of advanced mobile features.
Many iPhone users already use the iPhone for work. Efforts to make the device even more corporate-friendly will make the iPhone a strong contender in the business-user market.
iPhone users haven't been deterred by limited network speeds--they consume mobile media unlike any other segment of device users. And the 3G version will only enhance their experience, while also attracting an unknown mass of would-be iPhone users who held out for optimized network performance.