Mobile Media Consumption Intensified in 2010

Smartphones aggressively penetrated the mobile market in 2010, driving an escalation in mobile media consumption by subscribers worldwide. Technological innovations enabled an extraordinary number of new capabilities for mobile devices, even expanding the definition of what it means to be 'mobile' through the introduction of tablets, e-readers and other connected devices. As more subscribers access the mobile web in 2011, it will become essential for marketers to reach this rapidly-expanding segment of consumers.

CcomScore's report provides insight into the year's most important trends. Key findings highlighted in the report include:

• Smartphone adoption accelerated in both the U.S. and Europe. U.S. smartphone adoption reached 27 percent of mobile subscribers in December 2010, an increase of 10 percentage points from the previous year, while European adoption reached 31 percent, also up nearly 10 points versus year ago.
• Network quality and cost of monthly plan were the top 2 purchase consideration factors for mobile subscribers in the U.S. and UK.
• Nokia was the top OEM in the UK, Germany, Italy and Spain. Samsung took the top spot in the U.S. and France, and also ranked in the top three in the UK, Germany, Italy and Spain.
• 36 percent of mobile Americans and 29 percent of Europeans browsed the mobile web in December 2010, with access through an application reaching 34 percent of Americans and 28 percent of Europeans. Across regions, mobile browsing and application usage is growing in the range of 7-9 percentage points per year.
• More than 75 percent of mobile subscribers in Japan are connected media users (used their browser, accessed applications or downloaded content) far surpassing the U.S. and European countries in this regard. Japan also saw nearly 10 percent of its mobile audience make a purchase with their mobile wallet in December 2010.
• Over the past year the number of mobile users that accessed a social networking site at least once a month via their mobile device increased by 56 percent to nearly 58 million users in the U.S. Even stronger growth occurred in Europe, with a 75-percent increase in the number of users over the last year to 42 million in December 2010.

(Source: comScore, 02/14/11)