Avner Motaev investigates different uses of smartphones in the region.
Yahoo-owned mobile specialist company Flurry has published a set of statistics that indicate differing uses for smartphones as well as changing levels of penetration across the continent.
I’ve decided to look into this development and conclude on the findings made by Flurry.
Higher penetration
Penetration (the number devices per person in the respective countries studied) was at its highest in the Nordic region. This may be due to the wealth of the region, as well as its high value placed on mobile technology and start-ups. For example, several major mobile gaming companies are based in the region, as well as successful organisations like Skype and Nokia.
Sweden had a penetration rate of 150%, meaning the country had more devices than people – this was much higher than Italy, for example, which had a rate of only 66%.
Western nations such as the Netherlands and the United Kingdom also had high penetration rates, at 136% and 130% respectively.
Changing uses
Across Europe, there are differing uses for apps on mobile devices. In France and the UK, communication and social media are the most popular, whereas in Germany, Italy and Spain gaming is more popular.
As for the types of phone used, such as regular smartphones and larger-sized ‘phablets’, there were also differences.
In Spain, for instance, ‘phablets’ rival regular-sized smartphones in regards to popularity. This may be due to the fact that mobile devices in Spain are often utilised for gaming purposes – a device with a larger screen is more useful for gamers.
As aforementioned, there were similar levels of utilisation for gaming in Germany and Italy, however ‘phablets’ were not as popular.
In conclusion, there are obvious differences in smartphone penetration and types of use across Europe – the statistics paint a picture that may be helpful to providers.
Avner Motaev
Avner Motaev is the director of Mobile2Business, a provider of telecommunications solutions to businesses in Austria. Mobile2Business is an official business partner of T-Mobile.