MobiTV, which delivers mobile video programming to major cellphone carriers, today released statistics based on its 2010 World Cup coverage, shining new light on mobile TV demographics.
MobiTV says its platform delivered more than 100 million minutes of coverage from ESPN Mobile TV with 100 percent uptime. This volume of coverage delivered to the world's largest managed mobile media subscriber base affords the company a deeper look into a number of viewing trends and behaviors from mobile video users in the U.S.
When it comes to screen size, MobiTV learned the bigger the better, charting the following average minutes viewed per screen size during World Cup coverage:
- • 5 inch screen - 118.2 average minutes viewed
- •4 inch screen - 102.2 average minutes viewed
- •3 inch screen - 67.4 average minutes viewed
- •2 inch screen - 61.1 average minutes viewed
MobiTV also captured platform preference for various social personas. Viewers were identified by the most likely reason they purchased a device. For example, the 'Business Person' uses their mobile device to check e-mails and manage their schedule, while the 'Gadget Geek' is more interested in multimedia.
Typical ViewerPlatformMinutes per Viewer Gadget Geek Android 125.7 Sophisticated Tweenager BREW 84.0 TREO Loyalist PALM 84.0 Status Seeker iPhone 77.8 Business Person RIM 65.4 Tweenager WinMo 62.7
Gadget Geeks and Sophisticated Tweenagers had the highest minutes per viewer, yet Status Seekers viewed more games and on more days.
California and New York states lead World Cup viewing on mobile with 12.9 percent of viewing coming from the Los Angeles area and 10.1 percent attributed to New York City-based soccer fans. Chicago and San Francisco rounded out the top four DMAs:
- •Los Angeles - 12.9 percent
- •New York - 10.1 percent
- •Chicago - 6.0 percent
- •San Francisco - 4.4 percent
Top days and times for viewing World Cup action confirm the mobile medium as a supplement to at-home viewing. Weekday games played at 2:30 p.m. Eastern Time had the highest average minutes per game, and weekdays accounting for more than 72 percent of total viewing.
"As the mobile device evolves into a multimedia powerhouse, and as the screen sizes increase in both size and resolution, consumers will demand more relevant and live content," said Charlie Nooney, CEO, MobiTV, Inc. "Although mobile TV does not replace our traditional TV viewing habits it does provide a viable alternative. Similar to the need to be connected to email, friends and family, being connected to the latest news and events will drive consumers to mobile television."
