Learn how mobile has evolved as the primary tool for the digital omnivore.

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Introduction
The concept of ‘mobile first’
is no longer exclusive to
technology-focused businesses
and consumers, and is the default
position for a growing number
of internet users, who now spend the
majority of their digital time on
smartphones and tablets.
Although dominant, the share of
consumer audiences and time on
mobile devices is unevenly distributed
between categories, demographics
and geographies. International
markets follow paths of digital
evolution based on combinations of
global and local influences.
In this report, we will review human
necessities from Maslow’s Hierarchy
of Needs and align them with pockets
of particularly intense mobile usage.
Using data from 9 global regions, we
will suggest that mobile users have a
hierarchy of digital needs that drive
their consumption on these platforms.
1st
Ben Martin | Director, Global Marketing Insights | bmartin@comscore.com

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Mobile Evolution
In 2017, mobile devices have an unquestionable
role as consumers’ primary digital tool

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AUGUST
30% of Spanish internet
users no longer access via
desktop in a month
2016 was a year of mobile milestones
The past year featured a number of milestones that indicate continued growth of smartphone and tablet consumption
Source: comScore MMX Multi-Platform, January 2017
MARCH
US mobile minutes
exceed 1 billion for the
first month ever
JULY
Fastest growing app
Pokémon Go achieves 55m
US unique users in first month
SEPTEMBER
7 out of 10 Brazilian
internet users now access
via mobile in a month
APRIL
US consumers spend 2x as
many minutes on mobile as
desktop for first month ever
JUNE
Mobile apps surpass
50% of all digital time
in the UK
DECEMBER
UK records its most
monthly mobile
minutes of the year

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Our primary tool
Across the globe, mobile devices dominate total minutes spent online, passing 90% in Indonesia
Source: comScore MMX Multi-Platform, January 2017
% mobile share of total digital minutes
USA Canada UK ItalySpain
Brazil Mexico China Indonesia
71%
62% 61%
64%
72%
75%
71%
91%
67%

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We are now firmly in the ‘app age’
As consumers have come to rely on mobile devices in more aspects of daily life, the customisable
and refined experience of apps have led to their dominance within mobile consumption
Source: comScore MMX Multi-Platform, January 2017
% app share of total mobile minutes
USA Canada UK ItalySpain
Brazil Mexico China Indonesia
% mobile share of total digital minutes
87%
86% 82%
88%
87%
89%
91%
99%
90%

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LATE NIGHT
12am – 7am
Apps readily fit into consumers’ daily lives
The constant availability of mobile devices, coupled with ease of app usage are a perfect fit for consumers’ lives.
Taking two major UK categories, we can see clear peaks in usage based on the need for these types of activity
Source: comScore Custom Solutions, Jan 2017, United Kingdom
Share of UK app minutes by hour
for social media / news categories
% of UK total
mobile mins
DAYTIME
10am – 5pm
EARLY EVENING
5PM – 8pm
EARLY MORNING
7am – 10am
PRIME
8pm – 12am
News
Social
Social News

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Mobile is the ‘go-to’ destination for most video viewers
An analysis of YouTube’s digital consumption in the UK reveals that mobile users
now account for the majority of video minutes for users of all age and gender demographics
Source: comScore Video Metrix Multi-Platform, United Kingdom, December 2016
% of YouTube video minutes (UK)
Desktop Mobile
MALES FEMALES
18-34
year olds
45+
year olds
35-44
year olds
18-34
year olds
45+
year olds
35-44
year olds
67%
69%
60%
80%
85%
69%

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Mobile meets primary needs
The degree to which categories are ‘mobile first’ can be aligned
with human need states from Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs

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The uneven distribution of ‘Mobile First’
The balance of audiences and consumption between desktop and mobile is dramatically different
between categories, and can be loosely divided into four areas, shown here with data from Canada
Source: comScore MMX Multi-Platform, Canada, January 2017
Category mobile users & minutes as a % of desktop
0%
50%
100%
150%
200%
250%
300%
350%
0% 50% 100% 150% 200% 250%
Mobile-first categories in
terms of both minutes
and audiences
CAREER
SERVICES
WEATHER
RETAIL - FOOD
HEALTH
PERSONALS
Audiences have moved to mobile,
but time spent has not yet followedBANKING REAL ESTATE
TRAVEL
APPAREL
‘Legacy’
desktop categories
ENTERTAINMENT
PORTALS
Massive mobile minutes, but
there are still more of the
audience on desktop
SOCIAL
NETWORKING
RETAIL
NEWS /
INFORMATION
total minutes
unique users

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Maslow’s hierarchy of needs (and how mobile meets it)
This familiar theory from Abraham Maslow’s 1943 paper "A Theory of Human Motivation” is still considered
an important framework in understanding behaviour. Many highly mobile-skewed digital behaviours fit these needs.
SELF-ACTUALISATION | Travel
ESTEEM | Newspapers, Social networking
LOVE / BELONGING | Personals
SAFETY | Banking, Weather, Career services
PHYSIOLOGICAL | Health, Apparel, Retail - food, Real estate
Many key uses of mobile devices can be aligned with this set of needs

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Physiological
Physical requirements for human
survival and health, which should
be met first.
These needs include air, water
and food, as well as clothing
and shelter for protection from
the elements.
comscore.com/mobile

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PHYSIOLOGICAL
Mobile provides largest top-of-funnel access to real estate
In the majority of markets, real estate audiences are now larger on mobile than on desktop, but time still
lags behind, suggesting mobile usage still largely occurs at the research stage of the purchase funnel
Source: comScore MMX Multi-Platform, January 2017
Real estate category reach / mins (as a % of desktop reach / mins)
0%
50%
100%
150%
200%
250%
Mobile reach as % of desktop Mobile mins as % of desktop Total desktop reach / mins
USA UKCanada Spain Italy Brazil Mexico Indonesia

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PHYSIOLOGICAL
Apparel shopping is a key driver of mobile retail
Especially in North American and European markets, clothing is one of the top retail uses
of mobile devices. Other top 5 top categories vary dramatically from market to market
Source: comScore MMX Multi-Platform, January 2017
Reach / rank of apparel category among retail users
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
Rank
39%
37%
47%
40%
28%
20%
12%
11%
27%
7th
6th
5th
4th
3rd
2nd
1st
USA UK Spain Italy Brazil Mexico IndonesiaCanada China

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PHYSIOLOGICAL
Smartphones enable daily healthy habits
Formation of habits is a common theme for the health industry. The rise of activity trackers and health
apps has seen associated increases in daily smartphone audiences for the health category
Source: comScore MMX Multi-Platform, January 2017
Average daily smartphone users of the
health category (% versus January 2016)
+18%
users
+43%
users
+15%
users
United KingdomUSA Canada
January 2016 January 2017

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To download the full 49-page version
of this report, please visit:
comscore.com/mobile
For more information about the report, please contact:
Ben Martin
Director, Global Marketing Insights
bmartin@comscore.com