Large percentages of smart-phone owners are consuming mobile content such as video, games and music, in addition to using their handsets to check emails and access the internet, according to new research from M:Metrics.
Nearly a quarter of UK smart-phone owners reported listening to music on their handset, versus the average of 5.8%, while 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% in France, and 19.5% in Germany.
French smart-phone owners are 11 times more likely to listen to music on their handset compared with the market average of 1.7%, while those in the US are more than eight times more likely to do so.
Video has been very popular among French smart-phone owners, at 15.1%, against a countrywide average of 1.8%. U.S. smart-phone owners are more than six times more likely to watch video than a random subscriber, with the U.S. average for video consumption measured at 1.3%.
However, the U.S. lags Western Europe in smart-phone ownership at 2% penetration. Britain tops France and Germany, at 6.6% market adoption. The top three devices in France, Germany and the United Kingdom are Nokia devices, while in the US the Palm Treo is the top smart device, followed by the BlackBerry.
Seamus McAteer, senior analyst and chief product architect at M:Metrics, said: “Whereas mass market Symbian devices have flooded the European market, the smart-phones in the hands of most US consumers are high-end devices produced by Palm and RIM that are targeted to appeal to mobile professionals concerned with personal productivity.
“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.”
| Smart Phone Penetration and Consumption |
| 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 |
3.40% |
12.00% |
15.10% |
20.30% |
18.70% |
45.70% |
39.10% |
| |
| Germany |
5.80% |
15.50% |
7.70% |
18.90% |
19.90% |
33.70% |
22.30% |
| |
| United Kingdom |
6.60% |
23.00% |
9.10% |
20.90% |
24.80% |
47.30% |
39.70% |
| |
| United States |
2.00% |
22.30% |
8.80% |
50.80% |
16.10% |
22.80% |
54.60% |
| |
| U.K. Mobile Subscriber Monthly Consumption of Content and Applications M:Metrics Benchmark Survey May 2006 |
| |
| Activity |
Subscribers (000s) |
Percent |
% Change |
| |
| Sent Text Message |
36,359 |
84.60% |
(-0.1%) |
| |
| Used Photo Messaging |
12,879 |
30.00% |
1.60% |
| |
| Browsed News and Information |
6,376 |
14.80% |
(-1.1%) |
| |
| Used Personal E-Mail |
2,892 |
6.70% |
0.00% |
| |
| Purchased Ringtone |
2,562 |
6.00% |
(-6.6%) |
| |
| Downloaded Mobile Game |
1,953 |
4.50% |
(-4.9%) |
| |
| Used Mobile Instant Messenger |
1,754 |
4.10% |
1.40% |
| |
| Used Work E-Mail |
1,337 |
3.10% |
3.90% |
| |
| Purchased Wallpaper or Screensaver |
994 |
2.30% |
(-2.4%) |
| |
Source: M:Metrics
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