i-Device Users Favor Mobile Web over Newspapers

July 1, 2009 0 Comments

AdMob today released new research on the demographics and behavioral characteristics of iPhone and iPod touch users in the US. This research determined that while there are many similarities between users of the two devices, key differences in the demographic makeup of each group exist in areas such as age and household income. The research was conducted by comScore on AdMob’s iPhone network of mobile Web sites and applications, making it representative of AdMob but not necessarily of the mobile population overall.

“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, vice president, comScore. “Putting a little extra effort into the planning process can help a mobile campaign be significantly more successful.”

The research also found that 5 in 10 consumers on both iPhone and iPod touch devices use the mobile Web more frequently than they read printed newspapers. More than 40 percent reported using the Internet on their mobile device more often than using the Internet from their computers or listening to the radio.

Highlights from this new research include:

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

More than 70 percent of users on both the iPhone and iPod touch are male.

In line with the older demographic composition of iPhone users, they also have higher incomes. 78 percent of iPhone users have an annual household income of at least $25,000, compared to only 66 percent of iPod touch users.

iPhone users are more likely to have children than iPod touch users, most likely due to the age difference in the two groups. 46 percent of iPhone users have children, compared to only 28 percent of iPod touch users.

In the next six months, iPhone users plan to purchase clothing (57 percent), entertainment (47 percent), and travel (45 percent), while iPod touch users plan to purchase clothing (61 percent), entertainment (53 percent), and cell phones (36 percent).

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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