Tag: gartner

Mobile commerce shows impressive growth in the UK

| April 25, 2013

Mobile Commerce UKMobile commerce making significant progress in the UK

Mobile commerce is showing strong growth in the United Kingdom. More consumers throughout the country are gaining access to smartphones and tablets, and these mobile devices are making it more convenient for a wider variety of people to shop online. Mobile commerce has garnered acclaim for the convenience it offers consumers and several retailers are beginning to grow more accommodating to these consumers as they show a penchant for mobile payments. The growth of mobile commerce is strongly tied to the availability of mobile technology.

Smartphone ownership on the rise

According to a recent study from Gartner, a leading market research firm, sales for smartphones and tablets have been growing rapidly over the past two years. In 2012, the number of smartphones in the world reached 1 billion — one for every seven people in the world. The rapid growth of smartphone ownership has exposed more people to the concept of mobile commerce, a concept they have shown a great deal of interest in.

Proliferation of mobile technology draws more interest into mobile commerce

Ofcom, a government-approved regulator of the communications sector in the United Kingdom, has released information showing that half of the population of the country own a smartphone, with 19% of the population owning a tablet device. Approximately 81% of these smartphone owners prefer to use their smartphones over traditional forms of communication. Approximately 31% of all site traffic in the United Kingdom comes from mobile devices as well, creating a strong need for retailers to become more accommodating to the needs of mobile consumers.

Ease-of-use and simplicity appeal to consumers

The reasons consumers have been showing such strong interest in mobile commerce are straightforward. First, mobile commerce is considered simple, with purchases made for products being accomplished in a matter of seconds. Another factor is that mobile commerce platforms are easy to use, proving accommodating to mobile consumers of varying degrees of comfort with mobile technology. Mobile shopping is also considered, among consumers, to be more enjoyable than shopping at traditional stores, adding further appeal to mobile commerce.

 

Mobile gaming may benefit from emerging trends

| January 3, 2013

Mobile Gaming Trends

The past year has seen many highs and lows for the game industry and its various companies

The advent of mobile gaming has had a significant impact on the industry as a whole and has helped spawn trends that are likely to dictate the course of the game industry into the future. With more consumers showing favor for mobile gaming over traditional channels, encouraging developers to focus more on mobile platforms and incorporate new business methods that defy tradition.

Research highlights the prospects of mobile gaming

According to research from Gartner, more than 821 million smart phones and tablets were sold in the U.S. throughout 2012. As the penetration of mobile devices increased, so too did the focus on mobile games. Rovio, developers of the popular Angry Birds franchise, is one of the prime examples of the success that can be found in the mobile gaming space. The developer’s success has encouraged several other development studios to enter into the mobile space. Gartner research suggests that 44% of mobile consumers participate in mobile gaming, creating a significant incentive for game developers to target this audience.

Developers turning to corwdfunding

Crowdfunding is also becoming a popular trend in the game industry, especially where mobile gaming is concerned. Platforms like Kickstarter and IndieGoGo have paved the way for game development studios to tap directly into consumers for financial support. Several developers have used this to great success. Crowdfunding is expected to help provide the mobile gaming space with more momentum into 2013, especially as larger development studios begin making use of such platforms to fund ambitious mobile games.

Problems persist for game industry as a whole

Though the mobile gaming market represents significant opportunities, economic turmoil continues to cause problems throughout the game industry. Recently, major developer THQ filed for bankruptcy after a long period of financial trouble. Larger companies, such as Blizzard Entertainment, Sega, and Electronic Arts, have also reported layoffs in recent months. While many of these setbacks are expected to be rectified in the coming year, the industry is still likely to experience turmoil to some degree in 2013.