Drivers of <strong>Mobile</strong> Internet Usage 12
<strong>Mobile</strong> apps accelerating Internet use The survey identifies mobile apps as one of the primary drivers of mobile Internet use. As a gateway to the Internet, mobile apps are extremely convenient. Information apps, such as train schedules and weather news, are the most popular app download in <strong>Germany</strong> (81 percent), <strong>Austria</strong> (84 percent) and <strong>Switzerland</strong> (90 percent). 47 percent of the mobile Internet users surveyed in <strong>Germany</strong> (<strong>Austria</strong>: 57 percent, <strong>Switzerland</strong>: 55 percent) have downloaded or viewed short videos (of less than five minutes), checked weather information, retrieved travel information or read the news on their mobiles. Which of the following programs or apps have you downloaded from the Internet on your smartphone/tablet/netbook? Source: <strong>Mobile</strong> <strong>Web</strong> <strong>Watch</strong> Survey, 2012 Information apps (train schedules, weather news) Entertainment apps (single or group games) Apps for arranging leisure activities (events, contacts with friends) Educational apps (language-learning programs, reference works) Organizational apps (financial spreadsheets, voice recorder training, planning, nutrition guide) Apps that help manage your money (household, bookkeeping, budget calculator) Fitness and health apps (training, nutrition guide) 40% 36% 35% 33% 26% 20% 36% 29% 25% 58% 63% 66% 55% 50% 55% 47% 45% 51% <strong>Germany</strong> <strong>Austria</strong> <strong>Switzerland</strong> 81% 84% 90% Base: All respondents who download apps for any use (<strong>Germany</strong> n=625, <strong>Austria</strong> n=370, <strong>Switzerland</strong> n=328, both personal) Figure 2a. <strong>Mobile</strong> apps fuelling Internet use through mobile devices. © 2012 <strong>Accenture</strong>. All rights reserved. The survey confirms that apps are the most popular among the youth with a higher proportion of those aged 14-29 years, in <strong>Germany</strong> for example, downloading apps (76 percent in the 14-19 age group and 82 percent in the 20-29 age bracket) and 61 percent in the 14-19 age group and 43 percent in the 20-29 age bracket, downloading music. A marginally higher share of men download programs or apps (69 percent) as compared to women (65 percent). The survey’s findings, highlighting the explosive growth in consumer demand for communication, entertainment, commercial and social networking activities over the Internet implies significant and continued investment in infrastructure upgrades by communication service providers will be required to keep up with customer needs. Planning for this investment in a systematic way is critical to ensure adequate finance is available. Additionally, it needs to be done as part of an overall strategy capitalizing on the potential revenue opportunities available to providers by offering new and additional services through this medium. 13