Mobile

Recent research, conducted by Deloitte Consulting LLP, shows that there may be a more effective approach than sales transactions for determining the impact of mobile and how it influences and drives sales in other channels, particularly in-store sales.

QR Codes, the most common of the mobile barcode formats, have not fulfilled their promise and connected with large audiences, according to a new eMarketer report, “QR Codes: Marketers Keep Hitting ‘Go,’ but Consumer Adoption Still Slow.” The explosive growth of smartphone users in the US means that there will continue to be new consumers who try scanning a barcode at least once, “but ‘one and done’ users do not create a mass audience.”

The portability offered by tablets and smartphones has been a major selling point for consumers of all stripes, giving them both computing power and access to the web while on the go. But the devices have also proved seductive to retailers that rely on the very same features to bolster their mobile point-of-sale capabilities.

eMarketer estimates that by the end of this year there will be nearly 116 million smartphone users in the US, as well as nearly 55 million tablet users. And in many cases, smartphone and tablet owners have made their mobile or portable devices their primary venue for computing—especially for less-intensive tasks like web browsing and communication.

The Hispanic Institute and Mobile Future published a report revealing that Hispanics are increasingly turning to mobile devices – not traditional wired broadband – as their primary means of accessing the Internet.

If your brand is looking to connect with young consumers, social media is the platform for engagement. What are some defining demographic characteristics of Hispanics 18 to 29 who use social media? By Insight Tr3s

17% of cell phone owners do most of their online browsing on their phone, rather than a computer or other device. Most do so for convenience, but for some their phone is their only option for online access.

Worldwide, growth in the adoption of mobile devices is set to continue apace for the foreseeable future. So it makes sense, then, that marketers would be moving quickly to adapt to this new channel.

4G wireless service is quickly becoming the new standard in the mobile marketplace, enabling faster consumption of content on the go. New research from Nielsen found that adoption of 4G mobile phones has nearly quadrupled since last year, going from 1.4 percent in Q1 2011 to 7.6 percent in Q1 2012. Consumers under 34 are most likely to have already adopted 4G and 63 percent of teens are likely to consider switching to 4G within the next year.

With consumers increasingly turning to mobile devices to access the web, the Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB) and the IAB Mobile Marketing Center of Excellence announced the launch of “Tap into Mobile,” an online hub featuring an array of resources for optimizing sites for the mobile web.

The IAB Mobile Marketing Center of Excellence in the U.S., IAB Europe and IHS Screen Digest have joined forces to size the mobile advertising market at global and regional levels. This is the first such initiative by digital advertising trade bodies. Underneath the global figure of $5.3 billion (€3.8 billion) for 2011 are regional shares of: Europe 25.9%; North America 31.4%; Latin America 3.5%; Asia-Pacific 35.9%; Middle East & Africa 3.2%.

Millennial Media, Inc. released its Q1 Mobile Mix report, the latest edition of its reliable and widely-sourced report on trends in impressions for mobile devices and mobile operating systems.

Auto shoppers have demonstrated a predilection for online research for years, and that behavior is now carrying over into the mobile sphere. A report from Mojiva, a mobile ad network that relied on analysis of its own data, along with a Q1 2012 survey, found that 69% of consumers in the US were interested in researching the purchase or lease of a vehicle using their mobile phone.

A national survey of Hispanic wireless users in the U.S. shows respondents are extremely satisfied with their wireless service, support legislation that would help protect them from paying new multiple or discriminatory taxes on their cell phone bill, are skeptical of government regulation, and widely believe that they get a high level of value out of their cell phone service.

The US is still several years away from seeing a smartphone in every pocket, but the rise of mobile and the fast adoption of smartphones have led to many consumers going everywhere with their very own direct-response tool. With the device, they use calls to action from other media to get more information—and sometimes even make a purchase—immediately, wherever they are.

Mojiva released its quarterly Mojiva Mobile Audience Guide (MAG). The latest version of the guide provides data that reveals the role mobile devices play when consumers are in the market to purchase or lease a new automobile.

The maturation of the mobile phone market has put a powerful shopping tool in the hands of an ever-growing number of consumers. And recent research shows that they are taking full advantage of it.