Instead of entertainment and ringtones on their mobile phones, US and UK?consumers want practical mobile web activities such as phone-optimized banking and travel planning, according to a survey from dotMobi and AKQA Mobile that measured mobile internet usage and attitudes.?
Nearly two-thirds of participants said they would consider purchasing theater tickets, take-out food and travel tickets via a mobile phone.
Nearly 90% of consumer respondents said they would be more likely to choose an airline with mobile check-in facilities over one that did not have them.
This strong consumer interest in mobile banking and commerce suggests an inherent level of trust in the mobile web, according to dotMobi and AKQA.
The study also showed that phones are very important to consumers: 63% said they would be more likely to give up their money than their mobile “smart phone” if they were mugged.
Other findings:
- More than half of consumers want their next cellular phone to provide a good mobile internet experience; poor site display and layout remain top reasons for mobile web dissatisfaction among consumers
- 50% said a poor experience on their initial use of the mobile web made them “reluctant to access” either the site or the internet in general on their mobile phones again.
- About 90% of respondents are interested in learning about the mobile web.
- 50% are unaware that there are mobile sites optimized for use on mobile phones.
- 86% of participants said they were interested in knowing which sites are easily accessible on a mobile phone.
- 2% of participants in the survey who have purchased a phone in the past six months chose an iPhone.
“The enormous popularity of mobile devices has had a profound effect on the lifestyle of the consumer, unleashing new levels of connectivity and personal mobility,” said Daniel Rosen, managing director of AKQA Mobile. “The survey’s findings show how easily consumers were turned off by earlier, ill-conceived mobile campaigns. With mobile devices more ubiquitous, powerful and sophisticated than ever, there is a real opportunity for brands to deliver ground-breaking mobile campaigns that captivate, engage and entertain their customers.”
About the survey: The survey was conducted May 19-28, 2008 with a Research Now online panel of 2,019 consumers, half from the US and half from the UK. Participants were representative of online populations in both countries with respect to age, gender and working status. Participant quotas were set based on claimed mobile internet usage frequency to ensure that responses were representative of novice and expert users alike. Respondents were asked to complete a 30-question, 5-10-minute self-completion questionnaire.
