Mobile usage continues to increase: Nielsen
Mobile usage is growing steadily nationwide, along with the Internet and television.
Nielsen Co. reported in its second "A2/M2 Three Screen Report" that U.S. usage of TV, Internet and mobile -- the three screens -- continues to increase.
As of third quarter 2008, people who used a mobile phone spent three hours per month watching mobile video.
The average person in the U.S. watched approximately 142 hours of TV in one month.
In addition, people who used the Internet were online 27 hours a month.
Furthermore, the average time a U.S. home used a TV set during the 2007-08 television season was up to 8 hours and 18 minutes per day, a record high since Nielsen started measuring TV in the 1950s.
Nielsen's numbers show that TV remains the dominant choice for most Americans, yet time-shifting using TiVo and DVR, as well as videos on the Internet and on mobile phones, continue to be the trends to watch.
Key facts from the report include:
Americans are spending more time than ever with their TVs, computers and mobile phones, with TV remaining the dominant screen, watched more than 142 hrs a month -- five hours more than last year.
Americans spend more than 6 hours per month watching time-shifted TV, which is more than double the amount of time they watch video online.
Men are more likely than women to watch video on mobile phones, while women are more likely than men to watch video on the Internet.
During the third quarter, there was no shortage of online video content with events including the Olympics, Major League Baseball games, the political conventions and debates, and the financial crisis.
Online video use grew steadily through the quarter.
The mobile phone figures are collected by Nielsen via a quarterly survey and give a firsthand look at how early adopters report their usage of mobile video.
Mobile subscribers spent an average of 3 hours and 37 minutes watching video on a mobile phone in the third quarter, up from 3 hours and 15 minutes in the second quarter.
As for the age break-down of mobile subscribers watching video on a mobile phone in the third quarter, consumers ages 13-17 spent an average of 4 minutes and 20 seconds; those ages 18-24 spent 3 hours and 15 minutes; those between 25-34 spent 4 hours and 20 minutes; those 35-44 years spent 3 hours and 37 minutes; consumers 45-54 spent 2 hours and 10 minutes; those 55-64 spent 2 hours and 53 minutes; and viewing among consumers 65-plus was negligible.
