1 in 2 Mobile Subscribers Now Using Downloaded Apps

May 2, 2012

comscore-mobile-content-usage-dec11-v-mar12-may2012.jpgDuring the three-month average ending March 2012, 50% of US mobile subscribers used downloaded applications on their mobile device, up about 5% from 47.6% during the three-month average ending December 2011, according to comScore Mobile Metrix data. For the period, downloaded applications extended their lead in penetration over browsers, which were used by 49.3% of subscribers (up close to 5% from 47.5%). Texting remained the most common activity, used by 74.3% of US mobile subscribers, unchanged from the previous 3-month period.

According to an April 2012 report from Flurry, daily smartphone app consumption rose from an average of 68 minutes in Q1 2011 to 77 minutes in Q1 2012.

Meanwhile, comScore figures indicate that other mobile activities also saw an increase in subscriber engagement from the prior three-month period, including accessing of social networking sites or blogs, which increased 2.3% from 35.3% to 36.1% of mobile subscribers, and game-playing, which was done by 32.6% of the mobile audience (up 4% from 31.4%). Furthermore, the proportion of mobile subscribers listening to music on their devices continues to rise, reaching about one-quarter of the total audience, up 6.3% from 23.8% the prior period.

Google Android Extends Smartphone Market Share Lead

comscore-share-of-smartphone-market-by-platform-dec11-v-mar12-may2012.jpgGoogle’s share of the US smartphone market (primarily representing the Android platform) climbed 8% between the 3 months ending December 2011 and the 3 months ending March 2012, increasing to 51% in that time period, after taking a majority share for the first time in the 3 months ending February 2012.

Apple rose to 30.7% share of the smartphone market for the 3-month period ending in March, up close to 4% from 29.6% the previous period. Google and Apple both gained at the expense of RIM, which lost more than 23% to 12.3% share, and Microsoft, which dropped 17% of its share, down to 3.9%.

General US smartphone ownership grew to 106 million in March 2012, representing a 9% increase from December.

Apple’s Lead Over Motorola Grows

For the 3-month average period ending in March, 234 million Americans ages 13 and older used mobile devices. Apple saw the strongest gain for the period, up 13% to 14% share of subscribers, extending the lead it took over Motorola in February (see link above). Motorola dropped close to 4% of its share, to 12.8%.

Samsung retained its top spot, up almost 3% to 26%. LG lost 3.5% of its share to 19.3%, while HTC dropped about 3% of its share to 6%.

About the Data: MobiLens data is derived from an intelligent online survey of a nationally representative sample of more than 30,000 US mobile subscribers age 13 and older. Data on mobile phone usage refers to a respondent’s primary mobile phone and does not include data related to a respondent’s secondary device.

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