Wednesday, October 27, 2010

Mobile internet in Austraila

Recently I've been researching mobile internet usage in Australia and it's implications for library services and support. Today I found some statistics on mobile internet usage in Australia and I came up with this little infographic using prezi and some people and phone icons. The data comes from various sources that I've referenced at the bottom. Hope you like it!

  • looking for maps and directions (67 per cent)
  • looking for weather information (64 per cent)
  • browsing new sites (59 per cent)
  • looking for products and services (56 per cent)
  • using a social network site (56 per cent)
  • checking sports results (46 per cent)
  • looking for suppliers (45 per cent)
  • downloading a mobile app (42 per cent)
  • using a satellite navigation (40 per cent)
  • downloading video content (35 per cent)
So what does this mean for libraries? That my friends will be explored in my next post. But  for now, I'll say mobile interrnet usage in Australia is increasing at a rapid rate. Smart-phones and data plans are getting cheaper, free wifi is becoming more common and 3G mobile internet coverage is improving. That means we need to get in the game or miss out on a huge opportunity to engage with our clients in mobile space.

3 comments:

  1. Hey Sophie is this is so useful - thanks for sharing. In a funny coincidence your second set of stats I think was used tonight at the VALA session I went to on "There's an app for that". We also had some good audience discussion about what those of us who have one actually use iPad's for, and the theme of synchronisation - as in the ability to download an e book to a reader, mobile phone and ipad and take it with you through each device as you move through your week with different devices being most appropriate. Glad you're blogging - to keep my brain engaged : - )

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  2. Sophie you're just too damn clever by half. This is wonderful & I can't wait for the next instalment on what it means for libraries. My student base is so mobile-loving that anything that helps me understand and reach them is useful. Cheers :-)

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  3. Thanks guys! Halfway through creating it I thought - am I just wasting my time, what's the point in knowing these numbers? All we really need to know is that heaps of people use the mobile internet (esp under 40's) mostly on Apple devices. But I had fun doing it and I'm glad you like it! I think it's more useful to know what they do when they get there - but even then... how do we interpret what that means for libraries?

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