DATA POINTS: Mobile Social Networking On the Rise; More Connected Vehicles On Europe’s Roads; Android Gains Mobile Web Momentum; Working Moms A Target For Mobile Marketing
MOBILE SOCIAL NETWORKING USERS WILL NUMBER MORE THAN 641.6 MILLION by 2013, according to the latest predictions from Informa. A new report from the company says that at the end of 2008, there were just 92.5 million users of mobile social networking services, but that will skyrocket to between 641.6 million and 873.1 million by the end of 2013. It adds that the most popular mobile social services then will be those in the “friending” and “entertainment” categories. Source (PDF)
The bottom line: If anything, these figures are conservative, since in some sense, all mobile users are part of a mobile social network: the one represented by their handset’s phonebook. This list of contacts is arguably users’ most important social network, and will increasingly meld with those of online social networking services, blurring the line between users and non-users.
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THE VALUE OF THE EUROPEAN CONNECTED VEHICLE MARKET WILL DOUBLE TO 6.2 BILLION EUROS BY 2013, says Telematics Update. The growth will be driven by the mandatory installation of eCall black-box devices in cars, as well as consumer interest in connected vehicle services. Additionally, the group expects insurance companies to take advantage of telematics in their consumer offerings. Source
The bottom line: Cars are increasingly getting connected to mobile data networks, generally for navigation and traffic services. Some content networks are emerging, particularly in the US, but the growth in telematics and connected cars could represent a significant opportunity for mobile developers and content providers.
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ANDROID IS GAINING MOBILE WEB MARKET SHARE, say the latest metrics from the AdMob ad network, but iPhone remains on top, accounting for 40 percent of all the ad requests on its network worldwide. The company says Android is growing strongly in North America and Europe, and accounts for 13 percent of US ad requests from smartphones. The Palm Pre is also showing strong growth, accounting for 9 percent of US smartphone usage. Source
The bottom line: These stats show just how hungry the market is for devices that make browsing the web a breeze. The strong figures from the Pre, a device that’s not sustained its early buzz in the US, underlines this. Also, expect the Android share to keep growing as more and more devices running the platform hit the market.
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WORKING MOMS ARE A GOOD TARGET FOR MOBILE MARKETING, says a new report from Scarborough Research, based on their mobile usage and spending. It found that they spend $94 per month on average on their mobile bill each month, compared to the overall average of $78. In addition, the firm found that working moms are 42 percent more likely than the average mobile user to download content to their phone. It’s a decent market segment, too, accounting for 9 percent of the user adult population, or 11 percent of mobile users – 21.6 million. Source
The bottom line: Males aged 18-34 are often touted as one of the most desirable segments for marketers, but this research says they should take a look at working moms as well, particularly for mobile content. This makes some intuitive sense, as working moms generally have their hands full with work and their families, making the prime mobile users.
Tags: AdMob, Android, BlackBerry, demographics, Informa, Palm Pre, RIM, smartphones, Telematics, working moms
