Two new reports have come out about the iPhone’s place in the wireless marketplace. One from M:Metrics cites Apple’s handset as the most popular device for accessing news and information on the mobile Web, with 85% of iPhone users accessing news and information from the device. The other is Gartner’s new approval of the handset for the enterprise.
“The iPhone has certainly delivered on its hype,” said Mark Donovan, senior analyst at M:Metrics, in a statement. “Beyond a doubt, this device is compelling consumers to interact with the mobile Web, delivering off-the-charts usage from everything to text messaging to mobile video.”
M:Metrics found that 31% of iPhone owners watched mobile TV or video, versus a 5% market average, and more than double the rate for all smartphone users. Usage of social networking is also popular among iPhone users: 50% accessed a social networking site in January, nearly 12 times the market average. 20% of iPhone owners accessed Facebook, one of the first Web properties to customize its content for the iPhone, versus 1.5% of the total mobile market.
“Another important factor to consider is the fact that all iPhones on AT&T are attached to an unlimited data plan,” Donovan’s statement continued. “Our data shows that once the fear of surprise data charges is eliminated, mobile content consumption increases dramatically, regardless of device.”
The iPhone is also getting a stamp of approval for use in the enterprise from Gartner. The research firm has changed its recommendations for the handset to “appliance-level” support status once the enterprise-friendly version of firmware and security enhancements are released.
Garter analysts expressed concern about using the device in the enterprise when it was first launched, but Apple’s recently announced upgrades, which should be delivered in June 2008, have changed Gartner’s tune.
The new “appliance-level” status OKs the device to be used for PIM, e-mail, telephony and browsing applications within the enterprise. This change in status is due in part to the release of the handsets SDK, which will allow third parties, including enterprises, to create applications that are not browser based.
Filed Under: Devices
