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Seven Leading Apps for U.S. Mobile Device Users

Almost three quarters (73 percent) of mobile phone service subscribers -- using both smartphones and other types of devices -- in the United States use them to visit social networking sites daily, sometimes more than once each day.

This latest finding comes from a recent online survey of 2,000 people, conducted in March 2011 by ABI Research.

The survey respondents were asked a wide range of questions about how they use their mobile devices and associated applications. All respondents owned at least one mobile phone, smartphone or media tablet.

ABI practice director Neil Strother says, "Operators and brands, take note: your customers are here in droves. Users like multiple modes of social interaction."

Survey respondents say the mobile phone (or smartphone) provides sufficient access to the activities they like doing with social networks: viewing content, sending media, and updating profiles.

In fact, the phone is a preferred device for doing a number of activities by nearly half of those who access social networks via mobile.

According to the ABI study, other leading activities included:
  • Checking email (80%)
  • Checking weather and reading news (63% each)
  • Playing music or viewing stock quotes (53% each)
  • Checking sports scores (51%)
  • Searching for information (48%)
  • Playing games (39%)

ABI believes that the popularity of these activities has implications for network data traffic, but also for the increased usage of downloadable apps, the delivery of more services (not just OTT/apps) and higher ARPU for mobile service provider data plans.

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