Dive Brief:
- Nielsen has released a new cross platform report that shows 89% of time spent on smartphones is spent interacting with apps — 11% is spent with mobile Web.
- A number of developers have predicted that app usage would eventually be overtaken by the mobile Web, but apps are actually experiencing growth.
- For tablets, the percentages are slightly different: 80% of time is spent on mobile apps and 19% is spent on mobile Web, largely due to bigger screens providing a better experience.
Dive Insight:
This study doesn't necessarily put to rest the debate for marketers about where it makes the most sense to develop a brand's mobile presence. Mobile apps may be receiving the majority of users' attention on both smartphones and tablets, but that doesn't make the percentage of users spending time on mobile Web insignificant by any means. Perhaps the best takeaway for marketers is that mobile devices aren't just second screens anymore — they're increasingly becoming the only screen. Anyone currently behind on leveraging mobile audiences, whether via apps or the mobile Web, would do well to catch up as soon as possible.
