Mobile Mapping Usage Growing, Outrider Debuts Mobile Search Practice
Jul 25, 2008 at 8:50am ET by Greg Sterling
Maps and directions are (so far) the “killer app” for mobile, and yesterday comScore reported that mobile mapping usage is on the increase: “8 percent of American mobile subscribers and 3 percent of European subscribers accessing maps from the mobile phone in the three-month period ending May 2008. This represents a growth rate of 82 percent and 49 percent in the number of users, respectively.”
Most subscribers in the US and Europe are using mobile mapping for driving directions. And most are apparently doing so via WAP browsers rather than the rich mapping clients from all the major search engines: 73 percent of mobile subscribers accessing maps are doing so via the browser in the U.S., and in Europe, 57 percent. Less than a third of Americans and Europeans are using a downloaded application, which allows even feature phones, with less computing power and often smaller screens, to better render graphic-rich maps and directions. Despite the ubiquity of SMS usage in Europe, the penetration of consumers accessing maps and directions via SMS is 24 percent; only one percentage point higher than it is in the United States.
Yet WAP-based mapping is a relatively poor experience vs mapping client applications. But mobile downloads represent a barrier to consumer adoption. Not surprisingly, the iPhone is the leading mobile mapping access device in the US, while Nokia N Series phones are the leading handsets in Europe. Nokia recently completed the acquisition of mapping data provider Navteq.
On the “Local-Mobile Search Landscape” panel yesterday comScore reported that Google Maps was the top mobile mapping service in the US market. And reflecting that mobile has indeed “arrived,” search marketing firm Outrider has also just launched a specialized mobile practice.
Share, Bookmark & Discuss This Article
More:
Keep Updated: News Via Email | News Via RSS Feed | News Via Twitter
See more stories like this in the Members Library! Check out the Google: Maps & Local, Google: Mobile, Search Engines: Mobile Search Engines, Search Marketing: Mobile sections of the Members Library where this story is filed. Members also get access to exclusive video content, a members-only weekly & monthly newsletter, plus more. Check out all the benefits!
TOP STORIES
SEARCH NEWS BRIEFS
FEATURES & ANALYSIS
RECENT COMMNENTS
- Buy Advertising said " I've been experimenting with the merger of advertising and entertainment. I think that it can be bot"
- nickstamoulis said " Wow, this is very interesting, I was not aware of the the Google Books case at all, I will be sure t"
- nickstamoulis said " These are all very cool, my personal favorite 4th logo is the Ask.com layout, it is very creative!"
FREE DAILY SEARCH NEWS RECAP!
Stay on top of all the search news with our daily summary, the SearchCap newsletter. View a sample ›
STAY CURRENT THROUGHOUT THE DAY
Search Engine Land produces SMX, the Search Marketing Expo conference series. SMX events deliver the most comprehensive educational and networking experiences - whether you're just starting in search marketing or you're a seasoned expert.
SMX Web Site » | SMX Difference » | SMX News »
Join us at an upcoming SMX event:
- SMX Singapore - July 2-3, 2009
- SMX São Paulo - August 4-5
- SMX East - October 5-7, 2009
- SMX Stockholm - 12-13 October, 2009
- SMX Mexico - November 11, 2009
Learn more about search marketing with our free online webcasts and webinars from our sister site, Search Marketing Now. Upcoming online events include:
- How Large Offline Marketers Drive Superior Search Marketing Results - July 21, 2009
- Trademarks, Brand Terms and PPC Advertising: Updates You Must Know - July
22, 2009
- Attribution Management Buyers Guide - July 28, 2009
TRACK US SOCIALLY
- Wall Street Journal Recommended Reading
- Ad Age Power 150 Blog
- Technorati Top 100 Blog
- Techmeme Leaderboard Source
- Best Search Engine Community/Forum
Featured sites from our Blogroll
- Adweek.com - Top News
- my AOL Blog
- SearchCap: Daily Search Engine News Recap
- SiteLogic - Marketing Logic
- Blogrunner > Media
Get Your Search Engine Land
Premium Membership!
Become a premium member today and receive:
- Express commenting privileges & photo.
- Exclusive videos & newsletters.
- Discounts to our SMX conferences.
- Access to "How To" & Other Archives.
© 2009 Third Door Media, Inc. All rights reserved. Google, Yahoo & Microsoft logos trademark respective companies and used with permission.
