Are Smartphones the New Norm?

Are Smartphones the New Norm?

 January 24, 2012 

It's no secret that mobile smartphone phone usage is on the rise, but it may surprise you to learn just how quickly we're becoming a smartphone-dominated world. Not so long ago smartphones were viewed as toys for the tech savvy (or more specifically, young males). Now more often than not they're seen as a practical convenient tool that's become essential to daily life—no matter what your age or gender.

Take a look at these findings from Nielsen's State of the Media: The Mobile Media Report.

• Just two years ago only 18 percent of mobile subscribers had smartphones and those users were very likely to be male. Today, nearly half of mobile subscribers in the U.S. own a smartphone and 51 percent of them are female.
• The majority of 25-34 and 18-24 year olds now own smartphones.
• The number of smartphone subscribers using the mobile Internet has grown 45 percent since 2010.
• 49 percent of mobile users say they frequently use their smartphone while shopping.

The fact that 49 percent of mobile users are frequently using their smartphone while shopping is perhaps the most important finding for retailers, mainly because it provides a forecast for the future. If a good portion of shoppers already want and expect the stores they shop to have mobile tools, and if smartphone usage continues to grow, we can only assume that mobile tools will soon become essential for any retailer. While that might be bad news for the unprepared independent, it's great news for IGA retailers, all of whom have access to the IGALink website and mobile web app program.

Be sure to check the IGA Alliance site for additional insights about the IGALink mobile web app or to review previous Nielsen insights on important retail topics.

Thanks,

Kathy Tyburowski