Generation Y, defined as the generation of people who are currently aged 18-27, are addicted to their mobile phones. According to a survey by Opera, most Gen Y users received their first phone between the ages of 18-20 and grew up using it. “We have often said that the next generation will grow up knowing the Web mostly through their mobile phones,” said Opera co-founder Jon von Tetzchner. He said the mobile Web “will bring about a profound change in how we connect with one another.”
Almost 90% of users in this age range use their mobile phones to share pictures or make blog posts. Additionally, 90% of users worldwide report that they use their mobile phones as their primary access to the internet. (In the United States, this number is lower, but still a majority–about 51%). Here’s the data:
So what does this mean for your business’s internet presence? It means that if your business targets this age range and its internet presence is not optimized to display properly in mobile browsers, you’re losing significant market share. If you don’t have a marketing plan in place that can effectively get your message across via mobile internet access, it might be time to start thinking about ways to get one in place.
Opera says their data presents a challenge to the long-standing belief that smart phone uptake will be the major driver of mobile web usage globally, particularly since the majority of mobile phone owners across the globe cannot afford smart phones.
