This document provides a summary of mobile device usage around the world based on Nielsen's 2013 Mobile Consumer Report. Some key findings include:
- Smartphone ownership varies significantly by country, with over 65% of users in Australia, China, and South Korea owning smartphones, compared to only 10% in India.
- Younger users are more likely to own smartphones globally, while older users prefer feature phones. However, smartphone adoption is expected to increase as younger users age.
- Most countries have gender differences in device ownership, typically with males more likely to own smartphones and females more likely to own feature phones.
- Data plan ownership and costs vary widely between countries, with users in places like India and Russia more likely to
2. 2 THE MOBILE CONSUMER: A GLOBAL SNAPSHOT
MOBILETHE NEXT MEDIA POWERHOUSE
When the first call was placed on a handheld mobile phone in 1973, the
prototype device used was capable of less than 30 minutes of battery life
and took 10 hours to re-charge. Fast-forward some 40 years later and
mobile device ownership has reached critical mass around the world.
Today, these devices serve as the primary communications and media
vehicles for many and play an increasingly important role in the daily
lives of consumers in both developed and high-growth economies.
To better understand today’s mobile world, we’ve selected data from the
following countries – Australia, Brazil, China, India, Italy, South Korea,
Russia, Turkey, the United Kingdom, and the United States – for an in-
depth look at mobile consumers and how they use their devices around
the globe.
3THE MOBILE CONSUMER: A GLOBAL SNAPSHOT