Nearly 25 Million U.S. Mobile Subscribers Watch Video on Mobile Phones
According to recent numbers from The Nielsen Company, nearly 25 million U.S. mobile subscribers watched video on their mobile devices in the fourth quarter of 2010, up more than 40 percent from the same quarter in the previous year.
In the fourth quarter, 24.7 million U.S. mobile subscribers watched video on their mobile devices, up from the 22.9 million subscribers who watched video on their mobile devices in the third quarter. Back in the fourth quarter of 2009, just 17.6 million mobile subscribers watched video on their mobile devices, meaning that the mark reached in the fourth quarter of 2010 reflected 40.5 percent year-over-year growth.
“The growing popularity of mobile video is due, in part, to the rapid adoption of media-friendly mobile devices, including smartphones,” the report notes. “Whereas in Q4 2009 only 23 percent of US mobile subscribers had smartphones, by the end of 2010 smartphone penetration had reached 31 percent. Over time, it also has become easier to find, view and share mobile video, either via mobile apps or the mobile web.”
In the fourth quarter, adults ages 18-24 watched mobile video 10 minutes a week, while teens ages 12-17 watched mobile video for nine minutes a week.
According to Nielsen, users ages 13 and older watched an average of 4:20 (hours:minutes) of mobile video per month in the fourth quarter of 2010, up 19.8 percent from the 3:37 mark in the fourth quarter of 2009.
The mobile video audience in the fourth quarter was 55 percent male and 45 percent female. Split by age, 32 percent of the audience was 25-34; 27 percent was 35-49; 17 percent was 18-24; 11 percent was 12-17; and 10 percent was 50-64. Just 2 percent of the audience was older than age 65.
The most recent comScore MobiLens report showed that 68.8 percent of U.S. mobile subscribers sent text messages to another phone in February (three-month average). Meanwhile, 38.4 percent used a browser, 36.6 percent downloaded apps, 26.8 percent accessed social networking sites or blogs, 24.6 percent played games, and 17.5 percent listened to music on their mobile phones. All of these activities saw increases from the previous three-month averages in November.
The comScore report also showed that Google Android smartphones accounted for 33 percent of the U.S. market in February (three-month average), up 7 percentage points from November.
RIM held 28.9 percent of the market, down 4.6 points, while Apple claimed 25.2 percent of the market, up 0.2 points.
During the three months ending February, 69.5 million Americans owned smartphones, according to comScore.
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