Quarter of UK Regularly Download Mobile Content

A quarter of UK mobile phone owners have taken up downloading mobile content such as ringtones, pictures and music according to a survey released by Adamind. The survey, undertaken by Harris Interactive, showed that mobile content is finally reaching a mass market but also highlights some key issues stifling growth. The penetration of mobile content to 25% of the population comes as even more of a surprise given the reasons some people gave for not downloading content.

A massive 40% of respondents who didn't download said this was because downloads were too expensive, a surprising figure compared to the relatively lowly 24% who didn't download because they didn't know how.

Perhaps more worrying to the content industry were the 14% of respondents who considered all mobile content boring. However, enabling easier distribution of a wider variety of content from various sources will increase its reach and media adaptation is a key technology element in achieving this. The survey supports this claim as it found that with the help of media adaptation technology on the production and / or delivery side, an increase of 50% in media downloads could be achieved.

As expected, 16-34 year olds are still the most active users, with 39% downloading content at least once a year. Of those who download media onto their mobile phones, 26.7% use rich media services such as pictures, music and videos, with music accounting for almost half. However, the 23% of those 35-55 year olds who regularly download content prove the existence of a wider appeal outside of the core demographic.

The types of content most downloaded also gives some indication of the way in which the mobile market is developing - ringtones still dominate with 49% of all downloads but music is gaining fast at 13% whilst wallpapers and pictures are languishing at 7%.

Shailendra Jain, CEO of Adamind, said: "The results of this show that mobile content is without question a serious market. While people clearly are willing to download a wide range of different types of content, this content has got to be compelling and affordable while ensuring a high quality end user experience for the subscriber using different types of mobile devices, for this market to take off.

"The fact that a significantly wider age range than generally assumed is using mobile content also demonstrates that the market has been blinkered to date - whilst teenagers are an easy hit in terms of selling content the more mature marketplace offers a tantalising opportunity of increased spending power."

The Harris Interactive survey polled 1000 British adults between 12th-16th January 2006."

Posted to the site on 4th April 2006