M:Metrics today issued the findings of its May Benchmark Survey. The firm found that while smart phone owners comprise a small percentage of the overall population of mobile phone users, large percentages of smart phone users are consuming mobile content. Contrary to popular belief, those carrying these powerful devices are not using them exclusively for productivity applications, but are also using them to view mobile video, play mobile games and listen to mobile music in addition to using them for personal E-Mail and wireless Web access.
Compared to the average mobile phone subscribers, smart phone owners are avid users of mobile multimedia. In France and Germany, nearly half of smart phone owners sent video or a photo over the network, compared with a market average of (18.6) percent in France, and (19.5) percent in Germany. Nearly a quarter of UK smart phone owners reported listening to music on their handset, versus the average of 5.8 percent:
|
Country |
Smart Phone penetration |
Played
downloaded game |
Watched
mobile video |
Used
E-Mail |
Listened to mobile music |
Sent
photo or video over network |
Accessed news and information |
|
France |
3.4 % |
12.0 % |
15.1 % |
20.3 % |
18.7 % |
45.7 % |
39.1 % |
|
Germany |
5.8 % |
15.5 % |
7.7 % |
18.9 % |
19.9 % |
33.7 % |
22.3 % |
|
United
Kingdom |
6.6 % |
23.0 % |
9.1 % |
20.9 % |
24.8 % |
47.3 % |
39.7 % |
|
United
States |
2.0 % |
22.3 % |
8.8 % |
50.8 % |
16.1 % |
22.8 % |
54.6 % |
|
Source: M:Metrics, Inc., Copyright © 2006 |
The parallels are similar across the geographies. French smart phone owners are
a staggering 11 times more likely to listen to music on their handset compared
with the market average of 1.7 percent, while their American counterparts are
more than eight times more likely to do so. Video has been particularly popular
among French smart phone owners, at 15.1 percent, versus a countrywide average
of 1.8 percent. There is also a relatively high conversion rate to video among
U.S. smart phone owners, who are more than six times more likely to watch video
than a random subscriber, as the U.S. average for video consumption is 1.3
percent.
"Whereas mass-market Symbian devices have flooded the European market, the
smart phones in the hands of most U.S. consumers are high-end devices produced
by Palm and RIM that are targeted to appeal to mobile professionals concerned
with personal productivity," said Seamus McAteer, senior analyst and chief
product architect, M:Metrics. "The Motorola Q, which is being marketed heavily
as a stylish device that’s fun as well as productive, and is being
offered at consumer-friendly price points, could help broaden the market
for smart phones and spur content consumption."
At two percent penetration, the U.S. lags Western Europe in
smart phone
ownership. Britain tops France and Germany, at 6.6 percent market adoption. All
the top three devices in France, Germany and the United Kingdom are Nokia
devices. The Palm Treo is the smart device of choice for Americans, followed by
the BlackBerry.
Cheers ~ Arne
