[M:Metrics finds 70% of 13 to 17 year olds engaging in social networking and this same age group is now rapidly expanding their presence in user-generated content in the mobile space.]

Seattle and London -- Teens are expanding their social networks to the mobile realm, according to the latest monthly statistics from M:Metrics, the mobile market authority. The measurement firm found that with 70 percent of 13- to 17-year-olds engaging in social networking or otherwise creating content, Italian teens best their peers in Western Europe and the United States.

"Much as teens were the early adopters of PC-based social networking applications, they have proven to be the innovators in the mobile arena," said Paul Goode, vice president and senior analyst, M:Metrics. "Although teenagers and young adults make up only six to 10 percent of mobile subscribers, they generate more than their fair share of mobile content."

M:Metrics examined the usage of photo messaging, video messaging, IM, chat, dating and user-created content, including video content and ringtones, among mobile subscribers age 13-17 and 18-24 in France, Germany, Italy, Spain, the United Kingdom and the United States.

Phone-to-phone photo messaging is the most popular category of user-generated content, with between 19.9 percent of American, and 49.9 percent of Italian teens reporting they sent a photo to another phone in the month of October. Sharing videos captured by a mobile phone also proved to be popular. Again, Italy ranked first in video messaging among teens at 25 percent in the month of October, followed by Spain, at 20.9 percent, United Kingdom at 20 percent, France at 15 percent, Germany at 11.7 percent and the United States at 6.3 percent.

"There is a direct correlation between 3G penetration and video messaging," observed Goode. "With the proliferation of better networks comes moderately priced, highly capable devices that are appropriate for younger users. As better, cheaper devices enter these markets on faster networks, we would expect mobile content consumption to increase significantly, particularly among this highly connected demographic."

More...

Back to Headlines...