The overall worldwide market saw a general increase in the adoption rate of mobile devices in 2012, and end of year statistics will predictably reflect an increase in mobile Internet consumption. For 2013, this industry will continue to see a boost in mobile Internet usage.
Currently, more than 30 percent of all Internet traffic is adult content – and grows constantly. Mobile traffic is quickly matching this trend, as more than 25 percent of search engine requests on mobile devices are porn-related. In 2013, the viewing of adult content on mobile devices is slated to increase, drawing more than 30,000 users every second.
Currently, more than 30 percent of all Internet traffic is adult content – and grows constantly.
Studies confirm that mobile Internet usage continues to be on a sharp upward trajectory. The mobile adult market has now reached the stage when industry players across all platforms should look forward to the business opportunities and the operational efficiencies of a mass market.
According to a IMRB Survey, one in five 3G mobile user wants to access adult content from their device. Some of the top adult web and mobile sites receive more than 4.5 billion page views and 350 million unique visits per month – an amount three times greater than the visitors to CNN or ESPN, and the popularity of these adult sites will continue to grow rapidly in the new year.
Consumers are now more willing than ever before to pay for premium adult content and services. Surveys identify mobile payments as a significant growth avenue with growing????use and awareness of high-quality adult sites.
Of the dozens of adult websites populating the list of top 500 websites, many of their mobile presences are taken into account. Ericsson’s survey found that 40 percent of smartphone users access mobile broadband connections before even getting out of bed last year, and now, the company expects global mobile data use to increase tenfold from 2011 to 2016.
Although the International Data Corporation predicts that the market will see a year-over-year growth of only 1.4 percent in 2012; going forward, the market is expected to see discernible growth. According to researchers, mobile phone vendors are estimated to ship more than 1.7 billion handsets this year and more than 2.2 billion devices by 2016.
It is predicted that mobile Internet users will total 113.9 million in 2012, up 17.1 percent from 97.3 million in 2011. Ninety-four percent of smartphones users are also mobile Internet users, reaching 242.6 million in 2012, up 18.4 percent from 2011. Mobile shoppers reached 72.8 million in 2012, while buyers reached 37.5 million. Smartphone shoppers also reached a new milestone, reaching 68.6 million in 2012.
Tablet users reached 54.8 million in 2012, up 62.8 percent from 33.7 million in 2011. Specifically, iPad usage saw a significant increase of 41.9 million users in 2012. In 2012, 76.4 percent of tablet users are iPad users. Adult-aged eReader users will reach 45.6 million in 2012, up from 33.3 million in 2011.
According to PewInternet.org, as of August-September 2012, 85 percent of American adults had a cellphone, while 45 percent owned a smartphone. 25 percent of American adults have a tablet computer.
According to Pew’s research, in the U.S., 66 percent of those ages 18-29 own smartphones, and 68 percent of those living in households earning $75,000 also own them. Young adults tend to have higher-than-average levels of smartphone ownership regardless of income. As of April 2012, 55 percent of adult cell owners use the Internet on their mobile phones; nearly double what Pew found three years ago.
Thirty one percent of mobile Internet users say that they mostly go online using their cell phone, and not using some other device such as a desktop or laptop computer. This adds up to 17 percent of all adult cell owners who are “cell-mostly internet users”—that is, who use their phone for most of their online browsing.
Internationally, mobile Internet usage also is impressive. In Norway, Sweden and U.K., every second adult uses a smartphone.
When it comes to mobile business, the adoption of mobile payments also is on the rise. Gartner predicts that in 2016 there will be 448 million mobile payment users, in a market worth $617 billion. Asia/Pacific will have the most users, but mobile web is expected to dominate mobile payments in North America and Europe through to 2016. SMS is expected to remain the key vehicle for mobile payments in developing markets. According to Juniper Research, while 1.8 billion consumers globally bought digital goods via their mobile in 2011, this will rise to 2.5 billion in 2015.
Joey Gabra is the managing director of mobile affiliate program Affil4You.
