4G is changing consumer mobile behaviour: Study

Consumer behaviour is evolving as a direct result of the launch of 4G mobile services, driven by faster download speeds and greater bandwidth, according to the results of the Orange Exposure 2013-14 report.

The annual study by TNS into media habits across UK, France and Spain, not only are 4G users consuming more content – 30 per cent of them in the UK regularly use their mobile to download video games, compared with 17 per cent of 3G users - they are also using more of the phone’s functionality like downloading video, and using geolocation for example – in France this is 25 per cent more than non-4G users.

The 2013 study takes an early look at the impact of 4G networks on consumer behavior also revealed that 4G users also demonstrate a growing acceptance of m-commerce, with 53 per cent using their mobile to pay for something in the last six months compared with 34 per cent of 3G mobile multimedia users.

The study also showed that mobile usage drives further research on other devices. "For example, 18 per cent in the UK said they used their mobile initially to check for information before conducting deeper research on another device." It also showed a growing trend in ‘showrooming’ – whereby consumers use their mobile to compare prices and read comparative reviews of products.

The study also showed the continued dominance of Android over iOS for the second year running, with almost half of all mobile devices Android across all three markets. Android also increased its share of the tablet market, driven in part by Samsung's continued success. "For example, 19 per cent of tablets in the UK are Samsung in 2013, up from six per cent in 2012. In France, Samsung controls almost one third of the tablet market, up from 13 per cent in 2012," it noted, adding that consumers are increasingly using apps to access the internet, rather than traditional browsers.