MEDIA RELEASE PR41732
comScore Releases First Comparative Report on Mobile Usage in Japan, United States and Europe
RESTON, Va., Oct. 14 /PRNewswire-AsiaNet/ --
Japan Mobile Audience 'Most Connected' with 3 of 4 Users Accessing Mobile Media in June
Social Networking Shows Highest Reach among U.S. Mobile Users, While Europeans Text the Most
comScore, Inc. (Nasdaq: SCOR), a leader in measuring the digital world, today released a study on mobile usage
and behaviors in Japan, the United States and Europe from its MobiLens service. The report examined multiple
dimensions of mobile usage including content consumption, demographic comparisons and top social networking
brands across markets to provide a comparative look at how consumers interact with mobile media across various
geographic markets.
"Mobile media usage continues to accelerate across the globe, driven by advancing technologies and the growing
number of content options available to consumers," said Mark Donovan, comScore senior vice president of mobile.
"As we look across markets, dramatic differences in mobile media consumption, brand adoption and user behavior
become evident. These differences are even more pronounced than they are for PC-based Internet usage due to
the complex nature of mobile - including various device capabilities, operating systems and methods of accessing
content. For brands seeking to establish a multi-market presence, understanding usage dynamics across
geographies is essential to implementing a successful global mobile marketing strategy."
Mobile Behavior Varies Across Markets
A cross-market analysis of mobile activities in Japan, the U.S. and Europe revealed significant differences among
consumers by geography. Mobile users in Japan were the "most connected" of the three markets, with more than
75 percent using connected media (browsed, accessed applications or downloaded content) in June, compared to
43.7 percent in the U.S. and 38.5 percent in Europe.
Japanese mobile users also displayed the strongest usage of both applications and browsers with 59.3 percent of
the entire mobile population accessing their browsers in June and 42.3 percent accessing applications.
Comparatively 34.0 percent of mobile users in the U.S. and 25.8 percent in Europe used their mobile browsers,
with 31.1 percent in the U.S. and 24.9 percent in Europe accessing applications.
Messaging methods also varied with Europeans displaying the strongest use of text messaging with 81.7 percent
sending a text message in June, compared to 66.8 percent in the U.S. and just 40.1 percent in Japan. Japanese
users exhibited the highest reach in the email category at 54 percent, while consumers in the U.S. were most likely
to use instant messaging services on their mobile (17.2 percent).
Social networking/blogs reached the greatest percentage of mobile users in the U.S. at 21.3 percent, followed by
Japan at 17.0 percent and Europe at 14.7 percent. Japanese users were most likely to capture photos (63.0
percent) and watch TV/video (22.0 percent) on their mobiles, while Europeans were most likely to listen to music
(24.2 percent) and play games (24.1 percent).
Select Mobile Behaviors in Japan, United States and
EU5 (UK, DE, FR, ES and IT)
June 2010
Total Mobile Audience Age 13+
Source: comScore MobiLens
-------------------------
Percent of Total Mobile Audience
--------------------------------
Japan United States Europe
----- ------------- ------
Total Audience: 13+ yrs old 100.0% 100.0% 100.0%
--------------------------- ----- ----- -----
Used connected media
(Browsed, Accessed
Applications or
Downloaded Content) 75.2% 43.7% 38.5%
-------------------- ---- ---- ----
Used browser 59.3% 34.0% 25.8%
------------ ---- ---- ----
Used application 42.3% 31.1% 24.9%
---------------- ---- ---- ----
Messaging Usage
---------------
Sent text message to
another phone 40.1% 66.8% 81.7%
-------------------- ---- ---- ----
Used major instant
messaging service 3.3% 17.2% 12.6%
------------------ --- ---- ----
Used email (work or
personal) 54.0% 27.9% 18.8%
------------------- ---- ---- ----
Social Media/Entertainment
--------------------------
Accessed Social
Networking Site or
Blog 17.0% 21.3% 14.7%
------------------- ---- ---- ----
Listened to music on
mobile phone 12.5% 13.9% 24.2%
-------------------- ---- ---- ----
Took photos 63.0% 50.6% 56.8%
----------- ---- ---- ----
Captured video 15.4% 19.2% 25.8%
-------------- ---- ---- ----
Watched TV and/or
video on mobile
phone 22.0% 4.8% 5.4%
----------------- ---- --- ---
Played games 16.3% 22.5% 24.1%
------------ ---- ---- ----
Financial Information
---------------------
Accessed bank
accounts 8.0% 9.4% 7.1%
------------- --- --- ---
Accessed financial
news or stock quotes 16.1% 10.0% 7.2%
--------------------- ---- ---- ---
Retail/Travel
-------------
Accessed online
retail 7.2% 5.5% 4.1%
--------------- --- --- ---
Accessed classifieds 4.2% 6.6% 4.2%
-------------------- --- --- ---
Accessed travel
service 3.3% 4.7% 4.1%
--------------- --- --- ---
Other
-----
Accessed maps 15.7% 16.0% 10.8%
------------- ---- ---- ----
Accessed traffic
reports 12.6% 8.2% 5.9%
---------------- ---- --- ---
Accessed weather 34.1% 22.3% 13.7%
---------------- ---- ---- ----
Mobile Media Usage by Demographic Segment
A demographic analysis of mobile media users across markets showed that mobile media consumption was
more balanced across age segments in Japan when compared to the U.S. and Europe. In the U.S., 25-34 year olds
were 44 percent more likely to access mobile media than an average mobile user, with 18-24 year olds 39 percent
more likely. In Europe, 18-24 year olds represented the most-connected segment, 54 percent more likely to be
mobile media users, while persons age 25-34 were 35 percent more likely.
The U.S. and Europe also showed greater gender disparity among mobile media audiences. Females were 9
percent less likely to be mobile media users in the U.S., while females in Europe were 16 percent less likely.
Mobile Media Usage in Japan, United States and EU5
(UK, DE, FR, ES and IT) by Demographic Segment
June 2010
Total Mobile Audience Age 13+
Source: comScore MobiLens
-------------------------
Connected Media Audience Index*
-------------------------------
Japan United States Europe
----- ------------- ------
Total Audience: 13+ yrs old 100 100 100
--------------------------- --- --- ---
Male 102 110 116
---- --- --- ---
Female 98 91 84
------ --- --- ---
Persons Age:
------------
13-17 114 130 133
----- --- --- ---
18-24 117 139 154
----- --- --- ---
25-34 114 144 135
----- --- --- ---
35-44 111 117 103
----- --- --- ---
45-54 105 85 78
----- --- --- ---
55+ 80 39 57
--- --- --- ---
* Index = % demographic segment /% demographic base*100
Top Mobile Social Media Brands
Across markets, local and global brands showed varying levels of adoption by mobile audiences. In all three
markets, the top mobile social media brand mirrored the top PC-based social networking brand with Facebook
leading in the U.S. and Europe and Mixi leading in Japan. Local brands Gree and Mobage Town were the #2 and
#4 most accessed social networking brands in Japan. Twitter was the only brand to be ranked in the top four in all
markets.
Top Mobile Social Networking/Chat/Blog Brands in Japan, United States and
EU5 (UK, DE, FR, ES and IT) by Audience Size
June 2010
Total Mobile Audience Age 13+
Source: comScore MobiLens
-------------------------
Japan United States Europe
----- ------------- ------
Mixi Facebook Facebook
---- -------- --------
Gree MySpace YouTube
---- ------- -------
Twitter YouTube MSN /Windows Live /Bing
------- ------- -----------------------
Mobage Town Twitter Twitter
----------- ------- -------
About comScore
comScore, Inc. (NASDAQ: SCOR) is a global leader in measuring the digital world and the preferred source of
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SOURCE: comScore, Inc.
CONTACT: Sarah Radwanick of comScore, Inc.,
+1-206-268-6310, press@comscore.com
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