Global mobile content and commerce activity grew slightly from 65% to 66% in 2014, fuelled by strong gains in growth markets – but a lack of trust remains the industry’s biggest obstacle, increasing from 30% to 34% year-on-year.
These are among the results from MEF’s fourth annual Global Consumer Survey, charting consumer behaviour patterns including across areas such as m-health, mobile education, banking, the apps economy and entertainment. This year’s report is the largest ever, surveying almost 15 000 mobile media users in 15 countries across five continents.
The survey was carried out in association with On Device Research and supported by MEF members AVG Technologies, ooredoo and TIMWE.
Growth markets were found to have made significant gains and are driving much of this global growth in 2014. For example, Brazil grew from 49% to 61% and Indonesia from 69% to 79%. China and India each enjoyed five percentage points of growth.
Mobile-first regions are also driving mobile innovation with accelerated adoption of relatively new areas of mobile such as m-health, banking and education. In UAE, 62% have seen a mobile device used in a public health environment, versus the average of 44 per cent. Africa remains the world leader in mobile banking, with 85% of consumers there having used their mobile to carry out a banking transaction when the global average is 69%.
The study also identifies a continued and discernible shift in the purchasing of digital goods as consumers embrace an era of Mobile 3.0. In developed markets while the study found the overall activity growth curve to be flattening, consumers are engaging via mobile as part of their everyday lives.
In 2013, purchases of digital content were 22% higher than m-commerce activity for physical products. In 2014, the difference between the two purchase groups shrank significantly to just 13% globally, and in developed markets such as the US and UK, the gap between them is even closer with, the difference is just 9% and 5% respectively.
A lack of trust remains the biggest obstacle to more people purchasing via their mobile, with 34% of respondents citing trust-related issues, a rise of 4% from 2013. This is also affecting sales of new phones and tablets. When asked what they took into account when buying a new device, four in 10 named security and privacy.
Other headline findings from the study include:
* Gaming and social networking continue to dominate the app space. Games are up one point to 55% and social media apps downloads the second most popular at 48%.
* Utility was the category of apps that made the highest gains. Use of weather apps was up 6%, and navigation/travel and utility apps – up 3% each.
* Mobile banking continues its upward trajectory. In 2011, 57% of people conducted ‘some form of mobile banking’. This year the number was 69%.
* Second screening is all but ubiquitous, with 94% using another form of media while browsing on their phones.
Andrew Bud, MEF Global Chair, comments: “MEF’s annual study reveals two significant insights for the industry. Firstly, it identifies the incredible opportunity that growth markets present – their adoption of new mobile services spectacularly outpaces the rest of the world.
“Secondly, it shows that in developed markets there has been a fundamental shift in consumer behaviours and perceptions. Mobile has evidently grown beyond its heritage as a special platform for special transactions to become an everyday part of consumers’ lives. Confidence in data privacy and security are now crucial. Users expect a seamless, integrated experience, in a trusted environment. Companies need to deliver that or be left behind.”
