December 17, 2003
Mobile use is growing fast
My spin: Just today I was interviewing executives from Visto for an upcoming article. And their comments are right in line with this new report from IDC. People primarily go online via a mobile device and wirelessly, not to check web sites, but to have access to their email. Companies that can provide wireless access to email and corporate databases and applications will be able to do more in less time and with less resources than their competitors.
News Clip: The hard line between business use and consumer use is blurring as many mobile consumers are depending more heavily on mobile solutions that operate around the clock. According to a new study from IDC, Mobilizing the Consumer: 2003 Survey Results, personal use of mobile devices, technology, applications, and services is on the rise as many previously business-focused solutions have been extended or repositioned for the home.
According to results from a recent survey of more than 2,074 members of IDC's Mobile Advisory Council*, mobile phones in particular continue to be a big part of consumers' lifestyles. Survey respondents stated that nearly 36% of their personal calls from home are made from their mobile phone and that they spend more on cellular service per month than on broadband, cable/satellite TV, and landline telephone services. Mobile consumers also tended to adopt more of the latest technology and consumer electronic products, from wireless networks to big flat screen TVs.
"Consumers who have adopted mobile solutions either within or outside of the home represent a unique segment to market next-generation technology and services to," said Randy Giusto, IDC's vice president of Personal Technologies and Services. "The home is considered the next big thing and understanding the usage patterns and buying intentions of consumers who are mobile is key to tapping a red hot market segment."
The new IDC study also explores current usage of, and plans to use, a variety of mobile devices including notebook PCs, PDAs, converged mobile devices, and mobile phones, brand use, and areas within the home where primary use occurs. The study explores wireless Internet access including applications used and the amount of time spent while wireless. Finally, several product and service scenarios are tested and analyzed including future mobile device choices, messaging solutions, input methods, Web browsing, and wireless number portability capability.
Key Survey Findings
* A Wi-Fi connection is the most popular way that consumers who are mobile access the Internet wirelessly
* Consumers who used mobile phones prefer (or would prefer) the standard handset keypad, while consumers who used PDA or converged mobile devices prefer some type of QWERTY solution
* Given the ability, 32% of respondents would prefer not to use instant messaging on their mobile device
* Mobile consumers select their wireless carrier primarily based on coverage area and quality of service, and not based on seeking out the hottest new device
* The number one reason mobile consumers access the Internet wirelessly is for email, followed by checking the news and general Web surfing
This study, Mobilizing the Consumer: 2003 Survey Results (IDC #30441), reviews the latest survey findings from IDC's Mobile User panel on current and planned personal use of mobility solutions. The study includes an overview of the survey methodology, respondent demographics, key results, a 40-page PowerPoint presentation highlighting the results, and two sets of banner books including cross tabs by age, household income, gender, mobile devices used, number of PCs in the home, and brands used.
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