In the UK, use of the mobile web has been slower on the uptake than we’ve seen here in the states. Forty million Americans access email on their phones compared to 17 million in the UK. However, according to an article on eMarketer, the UK numbers are expected to rise as user-friendly handsets continue to emerge.
As is no surprise, when the iPhone came on the scene, the game changed, and the market took off. “Nifty, practical iPhone applications such as maps, GPS services, games, news and social networking have caught consumers’ attention and are starting to build momentum,” notes eMarketer’s senior analyst Karin von Abrams, who is also the author of a new a white paper on UK Mobile Internet usage.
The UK’s Office of National Statistics notes that in 2008, adults in the UK accessed the Internet in the following ways:
23% – laptop computer
15% – mobile phone (GPRS*)
4% – handheld computer (PDA)
4% – mobile phone (UMTS**)
*General Packet Radio Service (Internet)
**Universal Mobile Telecommunications Service (3G)
According to von Abrams, more compelling content and services are needed to attract converts to smart phone usage, especially when it comes to cost. The iPhone and its contract don’t come cheap and many consumers in the UK are waiting for more affordable alternatives. One example is the newly launched INQ1 model which costs as little as £15 per month.
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Tags: Mobile Web