Demand of Data and Apps Growing Rapidly with the Growth of Gadgets – Oracle Report

Oracle announced the results of its “Opportunity Calling: The Future of Mobile Communications – Take Two” report, which surveyed more than 3,000 mobile phone consumers worldwide to examine their mobile phone use habits, interest in new mobile technologies and expectations for service providers.

The survey is a complement to Oracle’s first study, “Opportunity Calling: The Future of Mobile Communications,” which was released in September 2010.

Key Findings

• Data is in demand: Sixty-nine percent of global mobile phone users report using a smartphone and 47 percent of mobile users have increased their data usage in the past year – a larger percentage than text or voice.
• Technology is outpacing expectations: In 2010, more than 50 percent of respondents thought their mobile phone would replace their camera, MP3 player or GPS device within five years. By 2011, 43 percent of respondents already replaced their camera, 34 percent their MP3 player and 24 percent their GPS device with their mobile phone.
• [advt]Apps are adding up: Consumer demand for apps is growing significantly. Fifty-five percent of respondents have downloaded a free app and 25 percent have paid for an app on their mobile device. In addition, demand for apps is spreading from phones to other mobile devices, particularly tablets. Fifty-seven percent of respondents already own a tablet device or plan to purchase one in the next 12 months, even though the technology is in its infancy.
• Security concerns linger: While consumers are becoming more comfortable with location-based services and online banking, they have security concerns. Sixty-eight percent of respondents do not believe, or are unsure, whether information stored or transmitted from their mobile device is secure.
• Mobile purchasing habits: More consumers are continuing to leverage their mobile devices for retail activities. Thirty percent of mobile phone users comparison shop on their mobile device, while 24 percent read customer reviews and 14 percent have scanned a QR code in an advertisement or article. But, when it comes to shopping for phones, 84 percent of respondents prefer to purchase in store.