Mobile is First Screen for Consumers

The continuous growth of mobile has fundamentally changed how we consume information, media, and communicate with brands and ultimately how we live our lives.

The growth of the mobile industry and smartphone adoption has happened very fast. It would have been hard to predict how mobile would change the consumer landscape before the release of the first iPhone back in 2007. Many businesses that have been slow to react and have yet to take full advantage of the opportunities this presents.

Reports by App Annie Intelligence demonstrates how mobiles have become the first screen for consumers. Put simply, consumers use mobiles devices first above all other platforms reinforcing the need for businesses to adopt mobile strategies. Neglecting this channel can put businesses at a distinct disadvantage against their more mobile savvy competitors.

In just over 2 years, time spent on mobile apps has doubled. There are now over 2 million apps available on the Apple app store and a growing install base of devices has a major part in driving this trend. More so, the amount of time users spend in apps has also grown. We have seen a growth of nearly 25% in the same period and we are spending more time in apps than ever before.

With businesses offering more feature rich and sophisticated apps, there has been an approximate 35% increase in app sessions on Android apps worldwide between Q1 2014 and Q1 2016. Although apps are an ideal channel for quick interactions, longer app session are becoming more and more common. Consumers are increasingly accessing video content, music and shopping services via their mobile devices.

Worldwide trends are showing that smartphones are our first stop for key activities. According to Google, there are more searches done on mobile than desktops PC’s across key markets. Ofcom data suggest that laptops have been overtaken by smartphones and is now the most important device to access the internet. In emerging markets, mobiles are not replacing traditional platforms; instead these are mobile-first economies with mobile-centric consumers.

Clearly mobile has become a key medium for engaging consumers and is no longer just for big brands. All businesses need a clear mobile strategy to stay competitive and capitalize on the huge opportunity that mobile presents. Users are increasingly turning to apps over mobile browsers to make purchases and this is having a profound impact on retail behavior. Consumers are now expecting businesses to connect with them via mobile and the mobile-first future is now here.