Tablets and smartphones emerge latest shopping tools in India

InMobi survey on mobile connected devices and its usage patterns in India reveals that Indians prefer smartphones for entertainment and communication

InMobi, an independent mobile ad network, in a latest survey conducted on mobile connected devices and its usage patterns in India, revealed that connected devices like tablets and smartphone have taken over conventional fixed devices like desktops and laptops.

InMobi partnered with Mobext, the mobile marketing network of Havas Digital, to conduct a study to better understand how consumers are using mobile connected devices in India, as mobile Internet usage has surpassed desktop Internet usage earlier this year.

According to the InMobi survey, covering more than 2,800 respondents across the country, Smartphone still remain the most preferred for entertainment and communication, while tablets are soon catching up.

In what could be termed as technology adoption, the survey revealed that 54 per cent of Indian desktop users and 56 per cent Smartphone users are likely to purchase a tablet in next six months.

Phalgun Raju, InMobi’s Regional Director and General Manager for India, Southeast Asia, Hong Kong, Taiwan, said: “The average Indian spends more time on their mobile device than on desktops or laptops. With the significant growth in tablet adoption, we see that tablets are used more frequently for a wider variety of activities compared to Smartphone, such as shopping, business communications and banking.”

The survey indicates that in India, the connected device study was run uniquely across mobile/Smartphones, laptops and tablet users and examined the media consumption habits of more than 2800 respondents in India. The survey revealed that 80 per cent of respondents said the mobile/smartphones was their primary device while 13 per cent stated that the laptops/desktops primary device and 7 per cent mentioned the tablets. According to the study, the average connected Indian consumes five hours of media daily with mobile representing 33 per cent of it.

Over 50 per cent of Indians spend at least one hour a day accessing media content from their tablet devices and 66 per cent  of tablet users found it easier to access content via tablets compared to smartphones and laptops. In India, like smartphones there is a high dual screen behavior with over 40 per cent of tablet owners using their tablets while watching TV.

Mobile/smartphones were on top of the choice list as 46 per cent used it as the preferred device for communication, 43 per cent for entertainment and 40 per cent for information. For shopping, 32 per cent picked the mobile and 23 per cent the laptops/desktops as the next choice.