‘i-Device’ Users Favor Mobile Web over Newspapers

July 1, 2009

This article is included in these additional categories:

Analytics, Automated & MarTech | Men | Newspapers | Radio | Technology | Telecom | Television

More than 50% of US consumers who have an iPhone and/or iPod-Touch use the mobile web more often than they read printed newspapers, and 40% use the mobile web more than they use PC internet or listen to the radio, according to a study conducted by comScore and AdMob. Significant numbers of iPhone and iPod-Touch users – 70% of whom are male – also say they use their devices more than they watch TV or read printed magazines:

admob-comscore-ipod-itouch-media-consumption-may-2009.jpg

In addition to finding many similarities between the owners of the iPhone and iPod-Touch devices, however, the study also uncovered key differences in the demographic makeup of each group of users, especially in terms of age and household income:

  • iPhone users are generally older. 69% of iPod touch users are between ages 13-24, while this same age segment represents just 26% of iPhone users. 31% of iPhone users are 35-49 years old, while only 12% of iPod touch users fall in this age segment. In total, 74% of iPhone users are ages 25+, compared with 31% of iPod touch users.

admob-comscore-iphone-itouch-age-breakdown-0may-2009.jpg

  • In line with the older demographic composition of iPhone users, they also have higher incomes. Some 78% of iPhone users have an annual household income of at least $25,000, compared with only 66% of iPod touch users.
  • iPhone users are more likely to have children than iPod touch users, most likely because of the age difference in the two groups. Nearly half (46%) of iPhone users have children, compared with only 28% of iPod touch users.
  • In the next six months, iPhone users plan to purchase clothing (57%), entertainment (47%), and travel (45%), while iPod touch users plan to purchase clothing (61%), entertainment (53%), and cell phones (36%).

These differences in iPhone and iTouch demographics are likely explained by the fact that the iPhone has a higher pricetag and includes cell phone service, which is more likely to be used by older Americans and those with higher incomes.

“This research highlights how important it is for marketers to understand the mobile landscape and the characteristics of the users of a particular platform or mobile device,” said Loftlon Worth, comScore VP. “Putting a little extra effort into the planning process can help a mobile campaign be significantly more successful.”

About the study: The research was conducted by comScore on AdMob’s iPhone network of mobile web sites and applications in the first half of 2009. It is representative of AdMob but not necessarily of the mobile population overall. Participants were visitors to domains within the AdMob iPhone network who were shown survey invitation banners rather than banner ads. Those who clicked through the survey banner were presented with the mobile survey. The total sample size of iPod touch participants is 3,848, while the total number of participants in the iPhone sample is 3,454.

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