The way we access the Web and use it for everyday purposes, such as information-gathering and purchasing, is changing at lightning speed as more and more people are first experience the Internet through their smart phones, rather than a laptop or a PC, according to a research report from Fjord, a mobile advertising design firm.
Further, the research shows that certain revenue models that were fashioned over time on the Internet are being challenged by smart phone use, as more people rely on free, rather than purchased, apps and games.
And, despite the popularity of games like Angry Birds, smart phones are being used more for business, or finding a job or looking for an apartment, rather than leisure and gaming.
This, says Fjord researchers, challenges everything that companies thought they knew about reaching customers and interacting with them.
Fjord's research pointed to three emerging trends:
- Mass adoption of smartphones across social divides
- Expansion in the use of free apps and services, with alternative revenue models emerging.
- Innovative combinations of services, often used for critical needs such as employment and housing, rather than leisure or gaming.
download: Learning from the Digital Jugglers.pdf (2MB)
What This Means for Businesses and Organizations
These trends could result in new, combined monetization methods - such as free apps supported by advertising.
Companies creating services for this market will also have to take into account a different levels of learning technology awareness and language skills.