Mobile ads shock – Millennials prefer apps, Gen X browsers

24 Nov 2010

Smartphone users under 35 prefer to access content via mobile apps, not browsers, accelerating the flow of advertising dollars to app-based content services.

New research from Parks Associates finds preferences for mobile apps over web browsers are growing among younger demographics, impacting the market for mobile content and accelerating the flow of advertising dollars to app-based content services.

“Consumers under 35 are starting to ditch browsers in favour of mobile apps, where they don’t have to type in a web address or contend with slow browser speeds,” said Harry Wang, director of Mobile Product Research, Parks Associates.

“They are also put off by web pages that do not fit the small phone screen, whereas the mobile app is native to the platform,” Wang said.

Parks Associates’ new survey, Mobile Cloud Media and Access Platforms, finds the majority of consumers who prefer to use apps over mobile web browsers are under 35 years of age.

Mobile apps are already the dominant medium for access to internet radio (including Pandora), maps, social networks, navigation (including Google Maps) and games. Netflix has developed an app for the iPad and iPhone which could increase video use. as well.

John Kennedy is a journalist who served as editor of Silicon Republic for 17 years

editorial@siliconrepublic.com