The mobile market is rapidly evolving and shaping consumers lives. A wide range of advanced technologies are now available to consumers and It appears that the mobile penetration growth rate exceeded expectations.
Smartphone is the most popular mobile device and according to Deloitte survey in 2016, 78% of global consumers own smartphones. Yet, other technologies penetrate the market rapidly, including wearable technology. 55% of consumers in England own a wearable device and Cisco estimates that by 2020, there will be 601 million wearable devices globally, growing fivefold from 97 million in 2015 at a CAGR of 44%. The most popular wearable device is fitness bands (used by 49% of consumers) followed by smart watches (used by 37% of consumers).
Not surprisingly, mobile phones are no longer used primarily for making regular phone calls and a recent Deloitte report indicates that 76% of UK consumers used their smartphone to communicate with others through a voice call in 2015, compared to 96% in 2012. Main uses for mobile phones are messaging apps, watching video content and M-commerce.
- There is a growth in the popularity of messaging apps and eMarketer predicts that by 2018, the number of chat app users worldwide will reach 2 billion and represent 80% of smartphone users. As a result of this growth and consumers' preference to communicate through messages, companies offer their customers the option of sending them messages, whether through their own specialized applications or through channels such as WhatsApp and Facebook Messenger and through the use of third-party technologies, and thus enable them to receive end to end service only through messages.
- Retailers recognize the rise in video consumption through mobile, and offer video content to consumers, thereby increasing their exposure, engagement and as a result, their sales.
- Mobile technology is changing the shopping experience. Today's consumers have the option to conduct research from their mobile phones before and while heading in-store, and they can also make purchases using their mobile. According to Google Think, 61% of internet users start shopping on one device but continue or finish on a different one. To respond, companies synchronize information so there is no need to restart the journey purchase each time they change the device. In addition, Mobile devices have become a payment tool and the use of m-Payment is increasing in recent years.
Virtual reality has experienced high growth in recent years and companies offer apps that allow consumers a better view of the product they intend to buy or even experience it in advanced. The purpose is to increase consumers' confidence before the purchase.
Location based technologies are also very common and allow consumers to use their mobile devices in order to find stores in their area. According to Google Trends, in 2015 there was a double increase in searches for “near me” and “nearby”. Companies use Beacon technology, which enables location awareness capabilities and a seamless, cross-channel shopping experience and increase sales at the same time. For example, when a customer visits a store, his/her smartphone is used to provide location based relevant ads and information.
In conclusion, companies increasingly realize the benefits of mobile and implement the necessary tactics to communicate with consumers according to recent technology adoption. They provide them a convenient, seamless, instant experience, and thus increase their satisfaction and increase sales.
