Mobile usage surpassed TV in 2016; women more engaged in smartphones than men: Study

Representational pictureThe Mobile Marketing Association MMA in association with Kantar IMRB on December 21 released a report on Smartphones and Feature Phones Usage and Behaviour 201617 in India This is a firstofitskind report that studies the evolving nature of the Indian mobile consumers and provides insights and behaviors individually on smartphones and feature phonesKey Findings on SmartphonesI Time spent on mobile surpasses any other mediaAn average consumer spends 3 hours per day on their smartphones an increase of 55 from 2015 which surpasses time spent on TV or any other media Social media and messaging apps were the clear leaders accounting for almost 50 of total time spent on smartphonesII Women more engaged than MenThe study shows that Women spend 2x more time on their smartphones compared to Men ndash on YouTube and games They also spent 80 more time on Facebook than their male counterpartsIII Online shopping gains in leaps and boundsAnother finding revealed the rise of online shopping category which now has 15 higher reach than the entertainment making it the second most popular category in terms of reachKey Findings on Feature PhonesI Prime users are from upper SECrsquosThe study shows a whopping 75 of feature phone users were from the upper SECs while only 25 of respondents were from SEC C D and E NCCSII Feature phone users donrsquot intend to switchA big revelation has been that almost 85 feature phone users do not intend to switch to smartphones on their next purchase indicating that the functional benefits of feature phones combined with their durability battery life and ease of repair were highly coveted by these usersIII Feature phones users spend more on mobile plansFeature phone users spend more money on their mobile plans The ARPUs was almost 20 higher compared to the national averageD Shivakumar Chairman and CEO PepsiCo India Holdings and Chairman of the Mobile Marketing Association said ldquoWith over 85 mobile penetration we are today one of the largest mobile markets globally and insights on mobile usage in India are of critical importance to the modern day marketer We are in an age now where we need to seriously think about marketing measurement and attribution giving marketers better measurements tools and confidence in connecting marketing to business outcomes A thorough understanding of the differential usage and consumer segments that are using smartphones and feature phones will only help marketers use their monies more efficiently While most designing and applications are being targeted at smartphones this report is a wakeup call Today the mobile is undeniably the closest we can get to our consumers and it is this that will help marketers seek to understand ndash and leverage ndash a consumerrsquos path to purchaserdquoldquoMobile is clearly the third largest mass medium in terms of Ad spends in India today with estimated spends in 2016 amounting to Rs4200 Cr Hence it becomes very important for the industry to have credible research and measurement guidelines and reports to help fully understand and leverage mobilersquos ability to drive the future growth of business With this in mind MMA India has collaborated with Kantar IMRB to deepdive into the dynamics implications and impact of smart phones and feature phones India focusing on each category separately and giving each their due focus The insights of this study will be published in a series of industry reports that will go a long way in helping marketers use the medium effectively and efficiently It is a great data set for marketers to reassess and optimize their spending with the most impactful allocations in their marketing mix while leveraging mobile with double digit spendrdquo said Preeti Desai Country Manager Mobile Marketing Association IndiaHemant Mehta Senior Vice President media and retail Kantar IMRB said ldquoMobile has had an outsized influence on the way consumers interact with each other make decisions transact and shop This has significantly impacted the way companies and brands connect with their consumers and do business But wersquove only seen the tip of the iceberg With the advent of 4G reduced data costs and free voice and SMS we expect to see even more rapid changes in the mobile landscape It is therefore important to keep a continuous pulse on the way consumers interact with and use their mobile phones Along with MMA we at Kantar IMRB have embarked on a journey to help marketers understand the impact of these changes and to identify emerging trends The Smartphone and Feature phone reports are a step in this direction ndash providing an unbiased and insightful view on the evolution of mobile usage in IndiardquoThe report enables all members of the ecosystem to stay updated with consumer mobile trends and media consumption habits Also at the same time it elaborates the role of mobile as an influencer in the consumer pathtopurchase