Rapid growth in the use of mobile applications is leading to significant changes in consumer choice and behaviour, according to a study carried out by independent app store GetJar. The results of a survey of its European users, released as the company reached its 400 million mobile app downloads milestone, reveals that they are increasingly using mobile social networking apps instead of making voice calls; now take as much news from their mobile as they do from newspapers and TV; and surf the web more on their mobile than they do via their PC.
Over 2,000 European GetJar app store consumers, typically heavy users of mobile content, were asked a range of questions, including whether they used their PC or mobile more for accessing the Internet, with 70% saying they now prefer to use their mobile to surf. Natural gaps in their day are now being filled with mobile app usage. 43% of those surveyed use mobile applications either when travelling on public transport, at night before going to sleep (17%) or just when they are doing nothing else in particular (14%).
Mobile social networking is becoming an increasingly important way for mobile users to keep in touch, with 30% stating that they now use their mobile more for social networking – via applications such as Nimbuzz, eBuddy and Mig33 than they do for voice calls. This trend is reflected in the popularity of email and messaging apps, which are the first choice for 25% of app users, ahead of games (24%) and music (15%). 62% play games on their mobile more than on a PC or gaming console, which GetJar says is a clear indication that the quality of mobile games and the accessibility of the mobile phone are making mobile gaming a mass market trend.
Consumers are also increasingly using their mobile as their primary source of news, at the expense of traditional mass media channels such as newspapers and TV, with 49% of those surveyed preferring to get their news via their mobile phone.
Respondents revealed that the worldwide growth in mobile apps – GetJar alone supplies over 30 million downloads per month – is led by word of mouth recommendation (33%) and by mobile browsing and search (17%).  The Apple effect was less pronounced, with only 3% reporting that they had first heard about mobile apps via Apples advertising campaigns. Only 43% of those surveyed use their operators portal to look for the mobile content they want, meaning that 57% are going off-deck to to satisfy their content cravings.
Mobile apps have quickly moved from an early adopter audience to a mainstream reality for todays mobile users, says GetJar CEO and Founder, Ilja Laurs. The mobile is something we always carry with us, and the quality and variety of applications available is allowing us to begin to replace certain day to day activities with mobile activities to make the best use of our time. Our survey also seems to confirm that this has become a global trend, which applies not just to Smartphone users in developed markets, but also to everyday, low-mid end handset users in developing countries as well.”