Mobile Usage Trends in U.S.

Mobile   is  no   longer  a  device  which   is  used  to  make   calls  or  send  SMS,   it   is  a  big  media   hub   with   great   features   and   possibili:es.   The   way   users   are   consuming  content   on   their  mobile  devices   is   always   a   point   of   interest   for  developers   and  marketers,  as  it  helps  them  in  understanding  their  audience  be>er.

According  to  eMarketer,  mobile  now  accounts  for  12  percent  of  Americans'  media  consump:on  :me,  which  is  triple  of  its  share  in  2009.  So  without  doubt  the  media  consump:on   on   mobile   is   increasing   really   quickly.   Next   obvious   ques:on   is  regarding  where   exactly   on  mobile   the  media   is   consumed?  Mobile   apps   is   the  answer.

According  to  mobile  data  analy:cs  firm  Flurry,  smartphone  owners  now  spend  127  minutes  per   day   in  mobile   apps,   significantly  more   than   they  do  web   browsing.  Ever  since  the  introduc:on  of  the  App  Store   in  2008  by  Apple,  mobile  apps  have  dominated  the  mobile  media  landscape  and  the  media  consump:on  on  mobile   is  increasing  every  day.

So  what  are  usage  trends  that  all  developers  and  publishers  should  consider  to  be  successful  on  mobile?  A   recent   report   from   Business   Insider   analyzed   the   main   mobile   usage   trends,  detailed  how  users  are  consuming  content  on  their  mobile  devices,  took  a   look  at  the  most  popular  mobile  ac:vi:es,  and  examine  how  mobile  usage  is  an  addi:ve  ac:vity.

We  are  lis:ng  4  major  and  important  trends  in  this  presenta:on,  which  developers  and  publishers  must  consider  to  become  successful  in  mobile  app  space

1.  Rise  of  GamingMobile  games  are  the  largest  mobile  app  category  and  the  biggest  money-­‐maker  in  the  app  stores.  According  to  Flurry,  games  account  for  43  per  cent  of  the  :me  spent  on  mobile  apps  on  iOS  and  Android.  (See  the  chart  on  next  slide).  Again,  not  surprisingly,   games,   which   are   usually  mone:zed   through   in-­‐app   purchases,   are  also   the   biggest   app   money-­‐makers.   Games   account   for   70%   of   Apple's   top-­‐grossing   apps.   A   check   of   Android   data   by   Business   Insider   found   that   they  represented  75  per  cent  of  the  top  grossing  games  on  Google  Play.  These  numbers  are  huge.

It   took   “Draw   Something”   only   nine   days   to   reach   1  million   users.   “Angry  Birds  Space,”  the  follow-­‐up  in  the  wildly  successful  “Angry  Birds”  franchise,  garnered  10  million  users  in  three  days.  Apps  like  these  are  the  examples  of  success  stories  that  mobile  games  have.

1.  Rise  of  Gaming

2.  Mobile  meets  Social  

Social   networking   apps   are   the   second   largest   :me   bucket   for   mobile   users,  a`er  mobile  games,  accoun:ng  for  26  per  cent  of  :me  spent  in  apps.  

According  to  a  report  by  comScore,  the  percentage  of  all  U.S  mobile  users  that  accessed  a  social  network  on  their  phone  rose  from  14%  in  September  2009  to  39%   in   November   2012.   A   mobile   first   app   Instagram,   which   was   bought   by  Facebook  for  whooping  $1  Billion  is  a  good  example  of  Social  Impact  on  mobile.  Mobile   is   increasingly   driving   the   bulk   of   traffic   to   social,   and   changing  company’s  businesses  in  the  process.

The   growth   of   mobile   social   underscores   that   companies   like   Twi>er   and  Facebook   are   now   essen:ally  mobile   businesses.  Mobile   is   not   a   superfluous  sideshow,  but  central  to  these  companies’  businesses.

2.  Mobile  meets  Social  

3.  Rethink  for  MobileOne  tried-­‐and-­‐tested  way  for  a  mobile  app  success  is  to  take  a  popular  usage  category   and   build   a   product   that   piggybacks   on   that   ac:vity   to   provide   a  unique  mobile-­‐na:ve   experience.   Instagram  did   it  with  photos,   "Angry  Birds"  with  games,  but   other  usage   categories  —  Weather,  Video,  News,  Email   And  Search   etc.   are   s:ll   wai:ng   for   a   similar   hit.   As   of   September,   comScore  reported  46  per  cent  of  U.S.  mobile  subscribers  have  accessed  email  on  their  phone,  40  per  cent  checked  the  weather,  36  per  cent  used  a  search  engine,  and  31  per  cent   looked  at  maps.  We  believe  that   few  of  these  categories  are   s:ll  underu:lizing  their  poten:al.

In   other  words,   Desktop   habits   are  migra:ng   to   the   phone.   Few   companies  have   managed   to   translate   services   in   these   areas   into   unique   mobile  experiences,  and  they  have  success  stories  that  other  can  look  at  and  learn.  

3.  Rethink  for  Mobile

4.  AddiBve  ConsumpBon

Mobile  users  consume  plenty  of  other  media   content   through  their  devices  as  well,   including   reading  the  news  and  listening  to  music.  comScore  reports   that  29   per   cent   of   U.S.   mobile   users   accessed   the   news   through   their   device   in  September.  

Mobile  news  reading  is  addi:ve:  Consumers  read  more  ar:cles  with  news  sites  and   apps   constantly   at   their   finger:ps.   Data   provided   by   comScore   indicates  that  Ganne>,  the  large  newspaper  owner,  increased  their  digital  audience  by  24  per   cent   thanks   to   mobile-­‐only   readers.   Same   is   case   with   music,   comScore  found  29  per  cent  of  American  mobile  users  listened  to  music  on  their  phones  in  November,   up   from   12   per   cent   in   September   2009.   For   e.g.,   Spo:fy   and  Pandora,   which   both   pre-­‐date   the   smartphone   revolu:on,   have   grown   huge  user  bases  and  are  now  essen:ally  mobile  app  companies.

4.  AddiBve  ConsumpBon

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TechAhead has developed hundreds of apps for iOS, Android and other mobile platforms. We have helped clients from across the world develop mobile apps in various categories, and are well acquainted with the process and technicalities of incorporating in-app advertisement. Get in touch with our   mobile apps development experts on info@techaheadcorp.com for a FREE 30-minute no-obligation consultation($200 Value), if you have any app development requirement.

Credit:  h>ps://intelligence.businessinsider.com/mobile-­‐usage-­‐how-­‐we-­‐use-­‐our-­‐phones-­‐and-­‐what-­‐it-­‐means-­‐2012-­‐7