The iPhone is already among the top phones used for mobile browsing. 3G capability will drive usage even higher as the iPhone challenges its competitors.
Reston, VA, 11 July, 2008 -- Comscore, Inc. (NASDAQ: SCOR), a leader in measuring the digital world, today reports that iPhone users surpass all others in mobile media usage, with more than 80 percent of iPhone users in France, Germany and the UK using the device to browse news and information on the mobile Web, compared to 32 percent of other smartphone users.
As the market anticipates the launch of the 3G version in Germany and the UK today, Comscore M:Metrics, confirms that even on the slower 2.5G mobile network, the iPhone has increased mobile Internet consumption by a factor of 13 times in the case of a category such as social networking sites. The study also found that 42 percent of iPhone users visited a social networking site on their device in May compared to the market average of 3 percent and 10 percent of smartphone owners. E-mail is another popular feature, with nearly 70 percent of iPhone users sending and receiving e-mail with the device, compared to just 26 percent among other smartphones users and 7.6 percent of the cell phone market overall.
Internet Usage Habits among Smartphone SubscribersThree-month Average Ending May 2008Mobile phone subscribers in France, Germany and the United KingdomSource: Comscore M:Metrics, MobiLens
Internet Service Accessed via Phone
Percent of Subscribers
iPhone
Smartphone*
Market
Any news of information via browser
80.4%
32.2%
10.7%
Accessed web search
56.6%
18.3%
5.0%
Watched any mobile TV and/or video
32.0%
14.6%
7.4%
Accessed a social networking site or blog
42.4%
10.3%
3.2%
Listened to music on mobile phone
70.0%
32.5%
18.4%
Used email (work or personal)
69.5%
25.6%
7.6%
*Smartphone defined as a device running the Windows, Palm or Symbian operating system
“Our data confirm that the iPhone and its requisite data plan have succeeded in drawing consumers to the mobile Web,” said Paul Goode, senior analyst, Comscore M:Metrics, “Even without 3G networking, users are happy to browse and consume as much content as they can, and as soon as the data speeds improve, these figures will likely continue to increase.”
The improvement in iPhone handset features and reduced pricing should have a significant impact on uptake, especially in the European markets where, according to Comscore M:Metrics data, the UK has 3G penetration at 26 percent, Germany at 23 percent and France at 17 percent.
Comscore M:Metrics also found that while smartphones are adopted by a higher proportion of men than mobile phones overall, iPhones have an even stronger skew to men in the U.K. and Germany. In the U.K for example, 75 percent of iPhone users are male, while men account for about 68 percent of smartphone users. In contrast, in France, 67 percent of iPhone users are men compared to a higher 71% of smartphone users
Gender Splits among Cell Phone Users by European CountryThree-month Average Ending May 2008Mobile phone subscribers in France, Germany and the United KingdomSource: Comscore M:Metrics, MobiLens
Country
Total Mobile Market
Smartphones
Male
Female
EU3*
50.6%
49.4%
69.4%
30.6%
72.3%
27.7%
France
49.2%
50.8%
70.9%
29.1%
67.3%
32.7%
Germany
53.7%
46.3%
69.9%
30.1%
71.2%
28.8%
UK
48.7%
51.3%
68.2%
31.8%
75.8%
24.2%
“It is worth noting that the Nokia N95 8GB with high speed 3G and significant handset subsidies now has over twice as many users as the iPhone across the UK, Germany and France,” observed Goode. “Yet the iPhone, despite its small user-base, is already in the top 10 handsets for online browsing in the UK and in the top 5 in France and Germany. It is giving devices like Nokia’s N Series and Sony Ericsson K and W Series a definite run for their money.”
About Comscore Comscore, Inc. (NASDAQ: SCOR) is a global leader in measuring the digital world. This capability is based on a massive, global cross-section of about 2 million Internet users who have given Comscore permission to confidentially capture their browsing and transaction behavior, including online and offline purchasing. Comscore panelists also participate in survey research that gathers and integrates their attitudes and intentions. Using its proprietary technology, Comscore measures what matters across a broad spectrum of digital behavior and attitudes and helps clients design more powerful marketing strategies that deliver superior ROI. With itsrecent acquisition of M:Metrics, Comscore is also aleading source of data on mobile usage. Comscore services are used by over 950 clients, including global leaders such as AOL, Microsoft, Yahoo!, BBC, Carat, Cyworld, Deutsche Bank, France Telecom, Best Buy, The Newspaper Association of America, Financial Times, ESPN, Fox Sports, Nestlé, Starcom, Universal McCann, the United States Postal Service, Verizon Services Group and ViaMichelin. For more information, please visit www.comscore.com.
About M:MetricsAcquired by Comscore, Inc. in May 2008, M:Metrics is an authoritative source of data on mobile usage. As one of the few research firm to measure the audience for mobile media using on-device metering and one of the world’s largest monthly survey of mobile users, M:Metrics provides data on actual mobile content consumption by applying trusted media measurement methodologies to the mobile market. M:Metrics monthly syndicated data service gives clients the critical insights and intelligence required to inform smart business strategies and the competitive benchmarks needed to evaluate the performance of competitors and partners. M:Metrics services are used by more than 180 clients, including global leaders in the mobile, advertising, technology and consumer goods industries such as Verizon, Vodafone, Microsoft, RIM, FOX, CBS, BBC, BMW, Samsung, Palm, Qualcomm, Ericsson, O&M, and JWT. For more information, please visit www.mmetrics.com.