iLounge

By Charles Starrett

Senior Editor, iLounge
Published: Friday, March 27, 2009
News Category: iPhone

Internet metrics firm comScore has released its first data on iPhone use in the U.K. Based on a three-month average ending in January, iPhone users lead traditional smartphone users in all measured online activity, with 93 percent of iPhone users accessing mobile media in January. Nearly 80% of iPhone users accessed news or information via the Safari browser, compared to 48% of smartphone users, and 75.4% accessed e-mail, compared to just 35.4% of smartphone users. 65.6% listened to mobile music, while 55.6% accessed news or info via a downloaded application, compared to percentages of 40.5 and 22.1, respectively, for traditional smartphone users. 54.8 percent accessed a social networking site, 55.5% accessed weather information, and 55.1% used web search, with 29.6%, 26.1%, and 31.9% of smartphone users accessing the same services, respectively.

“The iPhone is indeed an early adopter phenomenon in the United Kingdom,” said comScore analyst Alistair Hill. “While the device’s ease of use is certainly contributing to the lift we see in mobile media consumption, the fact that the device requires a subscription package that includes an unlimited data plan is also a contributing factor. However, it is also important to note that while nearly all iPhone owners are consuming mobile media, the device is in the hands of only two percent of mobile phone users in the UK.”