Two-thirds of British Columbians now own a smartphone, and a fifth of those in that group admit they are "addicted" to the device, confirms a new study conducted by Vancouver's Insights West and iamota.
That's good news for local app developers and businesses that use mobile marketing and e-commerce, especially for the 18-34 demographic, where smartphone ownership and use is highest.
Insights West surveyed 849 British Columbians, 64% of whom own a smartphone. The numbers show 86% of those aged 18-34 own the devices.
Half of those surveyed said they have paid for something via their smartphone, using some type of app, with 40% saying they looked forward to being able to make direct purchases directly with their smartphones instead of using a credit card or bank card.
The survey found the most frequent types of purchases were:
- parking: 18%;
- coffee shops: 15%;
- movie tickets: 14%.
The survey's findings underscore just how important it is for businesses to harness m-commerce, said Pete Smyth, CEO of iamota, which specializes in mobile marketing.
"With this fundamental and rapid change in how consumers are connecting with brands across all device types, including smartphones, businesses and brands need to undertake some equally fundamental changes to keep pace with consumers. Brands need to shift from doing mobile to disrupting and differentiating with mobile."
Insights West president Steve Mossop said, "When we look at the (time) people spend on their mobile phone, it's no wonder marketers are clamouring for ways of reaching their target audiences via mobile."
