Growth of Time Spent on Mobile Could Slow to Single-Digit Pace in 2016
Here’s a story that strikes a different chord. While all the forecasts have shown mobile as the high growth nirvana in the marketplace, some researchers now see a slowing trend coming.
In fact, according to a recent eMarketer forecast, the channel’s growth rate is slowing considerably.
“Non-voice time spent on tablets and mobile phones will grow just 11.3 percent in 2015 to 2 hours and 54 minutes,” notes eMarketer. “Since 2012, there has been a considerable slowdown in the growth rate of time spent on mobile devices, and eMarketer expects that slowdown to continue.”
The growth of time spent on mobile in the coming year could drop to single digits, with U.S. adults spending an average of 3 hours and 8 minutes per day on mobile devices (excluding voice activities).
“As the data shows, a large majority of American adults are already using mobile devices,” said eMarketer forecasting director Monica Peart. “This means there will be fewer new smartphone and tablet users added each year. Also, the number of activities currently possible on mobile devices limits the amount of time a user can spend per day. For these reasons, growth in the amount of time spent on mobile devices will slow down significantly.”
The bright spot? Apps, of course.
“Much of the growth in time spent on mobile devices will come from people spending more time within apps,” the report concludes. “In 2015, U.S. smartphone and tablet users will spend an average of 3 hours and 5 minutes a day using mobile apps, up from 2 hours 51 minutes in 2014. By 2016, mobile device users will spend 3 hours 15 minutes per day using apps.”
Holding steady will be time spent on mobile browser activities at 51 minutes this year and next.
