Larger Smartphone Displays Drive Minutes of Use in Apps and More Mobile Data Consumption, According To Mobidia & IHS Mobile Media Consumption Report

LONDON and VANCOUVER, Oct. 29, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- IHS Inc. (NYSE:IHS), the leading global source of critical information and insight, and Mobidia Technology, Inc., the leading provider of mobile usage data, today revealed a joint report analyzing the impact of smartphone screen size and resolution on popular mobile applications usage, including those in the social, chat, gaming and video genres. The research covered more than 25 smartphone models as well as the key markets of the U.S., U.K., Germany, South Korea and Japan.

Download the full report here:
http://www.ihs.com/info/1014/Mobile-Media-Consumption-Report.aspx?ocid=PC5228-7:pressrls:01   
http://www.mobidia.com/insights/topic/whitepapers

The analysis highlights the following trends:

• Larger smartphone screen sizes strongly correlate with increased app minutes of usage (see chart attached). While the iPhone 6 has a screen of 4.7 inches, the study shows there is a tipping point for screens of around 5 inches.
• iPhone mobile app revenue generated per active iPhone is more than four times as much as Android, despite historically smaller iPhone screen sizes than Android flagship competitors. In Q2 2014, 80 percent of smartphone models launched had screens over 4.5 inches, larger than any iPhone then on sale.
• Higher resolution screen smartphones have higher data consumption, but resolution is less important than physical screen size as an indicator of higher data use.
• Streaming video and social networking apps have a stronger link between increased data consumption and screen size than do chat apps (e.g. WhatsApp, WeChat) or mobile games.

"Companies building apps for the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus need to know what greater engagement these large screen iPhones will deliver for their genre of app, because higher engagement means more revenues through in-app purchases and advertising," said Ian Fogg, senior director Mobile & Telecommunications at IHS. "And, given the importance of large screens on user engagement, Android becomes a significantly more attractive platform than in years past."

Mobile operators and media companies that aim to understand the impact of video delivery on the super high resolution quad HD screens in the Samsung Galaxy Note 4 and Nexus 6, as compared with mobile networks, must analyze the available real world data from existing handsets to predict the future and not act on instinct, Fogg added.

"Mobidia's mega-panel of global smartphone users enables research and analysis of usage patterns and trends on a scale not previously possible," said Chris Hill, senior vice president of marketing at Mobidia. "Analysis of the data clearly shows the positive impact larger screens are having on the industry. For instance, users spent significantly more time in streaming video apps like HBO Go, Netflix and YouTube when accessing them from phones with large screens. We anticipate this trend will continue with Apple's new larger screen iPhones."

The report is based on an extensive set of data from smartphone users in the U.S., U.K., Germany, Japan and South Korea collected from Mobidia's global mega-panel of millions of smartphone users. The research investigated real world data on more than 25 different smartphone models with screen sizes ranging from 3.5 to 5.7 inches and model ages of one to four years and from OEMs including Apple, HTC, Samsung and Sony.

For daily analysis and insights check out technology.ihs.com or follow IHS mobile analyst on Twitter: @IanFogg42           

About IHS (www.ihs.com)
IHS (NYSE: IHS) is the leading source of information, insight and analytics in critical areas that shape today's business landscape. Businesses and governments in more than 165 countries around the globe rely on the comprehensive content, expert independent analysis and flexible delivery methods of IHS to make high-impact decisions and develop strategies with speed and confidence. IHS has been in business since 1959 and became a publicly traded company on the New York Stock Exchange in 2005. Headquartered in Englewood, Colorado, USA, IHS is committed to sustainable, profitable growth and employs more than 8,000 people in 31 countries around the world.

IHS is a registered trademark of IHS Inc. All other company and product names may be trademarks of their respective owners. © 2014 IHS Inc. All rights reserved.

About Mobidia Technology, Inc. (www.mobidia.com)
Mobidia is a leading mobile analytics provider with a mega-panel of global smartphone and tablet users. Mobidia's mobile analytics and metrics platform provides unique insights into mobile usage trends on mobile applications and mobile networks. Real usage from real users, in over 200 countries, on both cellular and Wi-Fi networks provides a comprehensive and unique understanding of what people do and value in the mobile world.

Mobidia is headquartered in Vancouver, British Columbia. For more information, visit www.mobidia.com or call 1-604-304-8640.

Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20141028/155027-INFO

SOURCE Mobidia Technology, Inc.; IHS Inc.

Related Links

http://www.mobidia.com