The rise in tablet ownership is growing faster than most industry analysts predicted. This includes smaller tablets like the galaxy tab and the new smaller Kindle from Amazon. Companies need to re-examine how their websites, micro-sites and  product specific landing pages will appear on these devices as well as smartphones. Reach out to ApolloBravo for a free mobile readiness evaluation.

via WARC 

NEW YORK: Nearly a fifth of consumers in China, the UK and US now own a tablet, up from less than 5% late last year, according to a new report.

Citigroup, the financial services provider, surveyed 1,800 people in these three nations, and found the proportion of respondents possessing slate devices had grown from 3% to 18% since November 2010.

Penetration has reached 21% in China, ahead of 17% for Britain and America. Similarly, 26% of the Chinese sample were “very likely” to purchase a tablet, falling to 12% for both the UK and US.

Citigroup’s analysis revealed 31% of its panel were at least somewhat keen to buy such a gadget, versus 14% late last year. In all, 77% of this group would like to obtain an iPad, climbing from 73% in the same period.

Alternatives powered by Microsoft Windows witnessed a slide from 52% to 40%, and equivalents utilising Google’s Android operating system enjoyed a two-percentage point gain, to 38%.

Price remained the “primary inhibitor” to greater uptake, mentioned by 39% of adults questioned, although a “lack of functionality” when compared with PCs was another common factor.

A 62% share of tablet owners saw it as a “toy/gadget”, growing from 44% in 2010. Meanwhile, 18% had acquired one for work, a lift from 13%, while giving someone the device as a gift logged 18%, down from 27%.

Overall, 94% of iPad owners have downloaded apps, with 63% accessing 11 or more such tools, totals standing at 79% and 37% in turn for individuals using competing products.

Thus far, 81% of the iPad population have paid for applications, measured against just 43% of customers for rival brands. Equally, iPad users had paid for 39% of apps, declining to 22% for users of other slates.

Data from the US and UK showed 67% of the tablet audience surf the web via this route, with 55% sending email and instant messages, 31% reading ebooks, 33% social networking and 17% playing games.

Looking forward, the number of people expecting to log on to social networks in this way fell to 29%, with gaming also sliding to 14%, but both pastimes are likely to see rising interest.

Elsewhere, the study reported that laptop ownership rates had climbed from 62% to 81% since November 2010, figures hitting 28% and 59% respectively for smartphones. 

Data sourced from PC Mag, Barron’s, AllThingsD; additional content b Warc staff, 28 September 2011 

Independent research from IDC and IDATE   below show mobile web use surpassing wired by 2015. With the massive growth of smart phones, mobile devices, and tablets combined with declining PC sales most analysts see this happening sooner rather than later.  While many companies have put social media plans in place, most are unprepared for the wave of small screen mobile devices that will be accessing traditional websites. Contact ApolloBravo for a free mobile readiness evaluation.

via WARC.  The number of consumers accessing the mobile web around the world will surpass the fixed-line internet audience in the next two years, IDATE, the research firm, has predicted.
According to the company’s estimates, the amount of fixed-line web users worldwide should increase from almost 1.5bn at the end of 2010 to 2.3bn in 2015.

During the same period, the number of people going online via mobile devices is expected to rise from just over 1bn to 2.6bn.
The exact crossover between these two channels is due to occur in 2013, when the mobile internet beats the 2bn user threshold, and moves fractionally ahead of the traditional alternative.

Such a trend will be driven, in particular, by markets like China and India, where wireless handsets are likely to become the primary means of online access for many consumers, rather than more expensive laptops and PCs.

A key benefit following on from the rapid expansion of the internet population should be a “steady” increase in the revenues accruing to digital channels including search, social networks, video and online retail.

IDATE’s analysis further suggested the web could take 20.2% of global advertising spend by 2015, or €88bn.
This will result in the internet nearly doubling its share of advertising expenditure in 2008, when the net took 10.4% of the total outlay recorded by brand owners.

Elsewhere, IDATE predicted that ecommerce revenues would top €1.1tr by 2015.
Data sourced from IDATE; additional content by Warc staff, 20 September 2011

Cable operators beware. It’s becoming all about the WiFi. More and more consumers are getting their TV on multiple devices including iPads, smart phones, Roku and other wi-fi devices, and less and less via traditional cable. With Netflix,Hulu, Amazon, Apple others providing a lot of the content there is  declining demand for traditional cable, but a growing need for  HD content delivered via WiFi.   Contact ApolloBravo for innovative ways to reach this changing audience.

Via Warc

NEW YORK: Television viewing habits are changing in the US, with young consumers watching more content on the web and via mobile phones, a study has found.

Altman Vilandrie & Company, the consultancy, and Research Now, the survey firm,polled 1,000 adults to discuss evolving attitudes in this area.

They found only a third of 18–34 year olds view shows as they are first broadcast every day, compared with the figure of 58% posted by panel members over 35 years old.

A 60% majority of 18–34 year olds also watch online video once a week or more, and 11% play back TV programmes and movies on a mobile phone on a daily basis.

Using laptops or desktop PCs while the TV was on is also “common for all age groups”, and 28% of people owning a tablet like the iPad use this device at least 50% of the time they are in front of the television.

Overall, 20% of respondents now spend less on cable TV than in the past – what the study described as “cord shaving” – as online video platforms meet their needs, a total rising from 15% in 2010.

Within this, 24% of 18-34 year olds with cable services have seriously considered “cutting the cord”, although only between 3% and 4% of all consumers had actually done so thus far.

“Consumers are removing the shackles of the traditional primetime TV line-up and creating their own personal networks of preferred programming and viewing times,” said Jonathan Hurd, a director at Altman Vilandrie & Company.

In an example of the growing integration between TV and the web, 23% of Netflix subscribers reported this was the main reason they paid for broadband, and 22% would downgrade their connection if they no longer used the streaming service.

Elsewhere, the study showed 41% of 18–34 year olds would prefer to utilise a smartphone, tablet or computer keyboard to change TV channel than use a remote control.

Similarly, half of 18–34 year olds wanted to access modified programme menus, such as a screen offering apps or pictures of the content available, rather than the current style of TV guide.

High-definition formats were popular among 75% of 18–24 year olds, suggesting service providers can attract a younger audience with excellent picture quality.

Data sourced from Altman Vilandrie & Company; additional content by Warc staff, 9 September 2011