MobileMonday Global

^{8 percent of Americans do it} Mobile map usage growing

According to numbers by market research company comScore the use of mobile maps is increasingly popular in the United States and Europe, with 8 percent of American mobile subscribers and 3 percent of European subscribers accessing maps from the mobile phone in the three-month period ending May 2008.

This represents a growth rate of 82 percent and 49 percent in the number of users, respectively. According to the comScore M:Metrics Benchmark Study, the iPhone is the leading device used to access maps in the United States, and in Europe, the device trails the Nokia N95 and N70.

“The mobile phone as a personal navigation device makes tremendous sense,” observed Mark Donovan, senior analyst, comScore. “With the influx of devices, such as the iPhone with GPS, entering the market, Nokia’s purchase of NAVTEQ and the growing popularity of downloadable navigation applications, you don’t need a map to see where this sector is going.”

According to comScore, 73 percent of mobile subscribers accessing maps are doing so via the browser in the U.S., and in Europe, 57 percent. Less than a third of Americans and Europeans are using a downloaded application, which allows even feature phones, with less computing power and often smaller screens, to better render graphic-rich maps and directions. Despite the ubiquity of SMS usage in Europe, the penetration of consumers accessing maps and directions via SMS is 24 percent; only one percentage point higher than it is in the United States.

The vast majority of mobile map users are seeking driving directions, even in Europe, where public transportation and non-vehicular options are more popular.

Map Access via Mobile Device
Country	May-07; users 000s	May-08; users 000s	Change; %	May-07; % of all	May-08, % of all
France	907	May-08	40 %	2.00 %	2.70 %
Germany	663	1,265	45 %	1.40 %	2.00 %
Italy	1,595	963	34 %	3.50 %	4.60 %
Spain	702	2,142	54 %	2.20 %	3.20 %
United Kingdom	1,247	1,080	72 %	2.80 %	4.50 %
Europe*	5,114	2,147	49 %	2.40 %	3.40 %
United States	9,280	7,597	82 %	4.40 %	7.50 %

Source: comScore M:Metrics, United States and Western Europe, Three-month average ending

May 2007 and May 2008; *Includes top five countries listed.

Related News

• IPhone is an advertising monster (14 Jul 2008)
• GyPSii platform wins NAVTEQ Global LBS Challenge (11 Mar 2008)
• Nokia to acquire NAVTEQ for EUR 5.4 billion (1 Oct 2007)
• Music, games and maps among the first Ovi services (2 Sep 2007)
• Futuremark widens its scope (7 Aug 2007)
• Nokia speeds up N95 positioning (20 Jul 2007)

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