Contents Executive Summary 3 Usage Behavior 6 Drivers of Usage 12 Challenges 16 Opportunities 20 About the Survey 24 Conclusion 26
Executive Summary <strong>Mobile</strong> devices are rapidly becoming the primary medium to access the Internet across all age groups in <strong>Germany</strong>, <strong>Austria</strong>, and <strong>Switzerland</strong>. In a world brimming with smarter smartphones, tablets, notebooks, and other affordable <strong>Web</strong>-enabled mobile devices, and powered by better network coverage, faster broadband connections, Wi-Fi networks, and the explosive growth of mobile apps, the demand for ubiquitous availability of Internet is only getting stronger. As the excitement around every new version of a smartphone or tablet gathers momentum, more and more people in <strong>Germany</strong> alone, for example, there are 30 million mobile Internet users. Unlike in 2008, when the first <strong>Accenture</strong> survey was conducted to assess mobile Internet usage, German users are no longer ambiguous about connecting to the Internet on the go, nor are they deterred by the cost of data connection. The fifth edition of the <strong>Mobile</strong> <strong>Web</strong> <strong>Watch</strong> confirms that mobile Internet usage, which first started gaining significant momentum in the 2009 survey, continues to be on an upward trajectory in delete gap between 2012. Respondents in <strong>Germany</strong>, for example, are accessing the Internet on their smartphones, tablets and netbooks not just for e-mails but also to buy products, compare prices, monitor the weather, download videos, and keep up with news. Indeed, there has been a dramatic jump in mobile Internet usage with users nearly doubling since 2011. Significantly, this trend of increasing mobile Internet usage is taking place simultaneously with the growing use of stationary devices such as personal computer, TV and gaming consoles to access the Internet. The boundaries between devices are clearly blurring in this multi-device and multi-platform environment. The survey results for <strong>Germany</strong>, <strong>Austria</strong> and <strong>Switzerland</strong> mirror the findings in ten other countries from Europe, Latin America and South Africa—the countries that have been included for the first time in the <strong>Mobile</strong> <strong>Web</strong> <strong>Watch</strong> survey. The major highlight of the survey is that mobile Internet usage is on the rise across mature and emerging markets, and also across age groups. Indeed, it has now reached the stage when market players across communications, media and technology should look forward to business opportunities and the operational efficiencies of a mass market. That is, if they are prepared for it. <strong>Mobile</strong> <strong>Web</strong> <strong>Watch</strong>, 2012, brings to the fore five key trends in the digital consumer’s behavior that have implications not only for players in telecommunications, media and technology, but also for those in industries such as retail and automotive, and in utilities. A key finding of the survey is that a majority of Internet users connected to the Internet with a mobile device in the past year, with smartphones emerging as the most popular mobile Internet access medium. In fact, activities or transactions on mobile Internet have become so much a part of daily life that those who don’t own a mobile <strong>Web</strong>-enabled device intend to buy one soon. The survey identifies usability and mobile apps as the primary drivers of mobile Internet use, with a higher proportion of users having downloaded programs and apps on their mobile devices in the past year. Consumers are now more willing than ever before to pay for premium services. The survey also identifies mobile payments as a significant growth avenue with growing use and awareness of these services. The opportunity in augmented reality services is huge with half the mobile Internet users surveyed expressing interest or planning to use these services in the future. In fact, a large segment is even willing to pay for cloud services. A key driver of mobile Internet usage has been significant improvements in network quality and coverage over the years— the user’s primary criterion in selecting a service provider. The survey highlights how consumers are increasingly looking for superior Internet experiences on their mobile devices, similar to what they are used to on their computer or television. While on-the-go online services, such as news, traffic and travel information, and banking are of the highest importance to mobile Internet users, concerns about data security persist, especially for those using or considering the use of cloud services. With users expressing annoyance with online advertising, marketing companies will need to focus on more targeted advertising. In the following pages, we explore the findings for <strong>Germany</strong>, <strong>Austria</strong> and <strong>Switzerland</strong> in greater detail and discuss the implications they may have for companies looking at seizing the opportunity arising out of the growing use of mobile Internet in this region. 3
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