Half of U.S. subscribers access mobile content each week

Fifty-one percent of U.S. subscribers access entertainment, games, news and social information via mobile phone each week, according to a new study published by research and consultation firm Frank N. Magid Associates. Based on a January 2009 survey of 4,000 U.S. wireless customers between the ages of 12 and 64, Magid notes that mobile content users now spend about the same amount of time with content (39 minutes) as the average user does texting (38 minutes) or talking on their handset (44 minutes); moreover, the study indicates entertainment content like games, news, music and social network services are accessed for longer periods of time than utilitarian content like news, weather and sports scores.

Frank N. Magid Associates reports subscriber behaviors shake out across expected demographic lines--for example, 80 percent of mobile social networking is among 12-to-34 year olds, with 18-to-54 year olds responsible for 79 percent of news consumption. The report adds that the tween and teen markets present significant revenue opportunities for mobile media firms, with 72 percent of subscribers between the ages of 12 to 17 accessing mobile content weekly--among this demographic subset, 52 percent purchase content regularly, compared to 39 percent of total mobile content users.

Non-users of mobile content most commonly cite cost and content relevancy as their reasons for steering clear--52 percent of non-users say they do not feel a need to access mobile content when they are away from more traditional content outlets. "Lack of familiarity with mobile content and no clear perception of value are the primary barriers for non-users, who are more likely to be older Americans," said Magid senior vice president Jill Rosengard Hill in a prepared statement. "The perception that it has to do with the handset isn't entirely true. Forty one percent of those who don't have a smartphone are accessing mobile news, music, and playing mobile games."

For more on the mobile content study:
- read this release

Related articles:
Study: 70% of U.S. subscribers searched via mobile in 2008
Study: Mobile media access still vexing subscribers