Malaysian smartphone ‘power users’ predominantly female

• Vserv unveils first Smartphone User Persona Report in Malaysia
• Growth driven by under-30s, marketers need to rethink strategies

 
THE smartphone user base in Malaysia is expected to reach 11 million in 2016 and observe an upward trend of 10% CAGR (compound annual growth rate) from 2013 to 2017, according to a new study by mobile marketing and commerce company Vserv.
 
Furthermore, the ‘power users’ who spend 219 minutes a day – 16% of the overall – on their smartphones are predominantly female.
 
In its recently-released the Smartphone User Persona Report (SUPR) 2015 for Malaysia, the company said that the boom in the smartphone market is primarily being propelled by Malaysians under 30 years old, with 64% falling in that age bracket.
 
This trend means marketers need to rethink their approach to marketing and communications as they are now reaching out to a generation that is more informed and connected than ever, the company said in a statement.
 
Based on a study conducted by Nielsen Informate Mobile Insights, the report segments Malaysian smartphone users into different user personas and provides insights into each persona’s app usage, time spent on various apps, data consumption patterns, and their demographics.
 
“Today, it is crucial for marketers to improve the relevance of their messaging and enrich their consumers’ experience,” said Vserv’s global marketing vice president Pranab Punj.
 
“They need to formulate their strategies focusing on user personas and their intent.
 
“... The succinct data from the joint report with Nielsen Informate Mobile Insights will enable marketers to know, understand and target their audience better by formulating tighter mobile strategies,” he added.
  
Highlights from the report (click infographic in the right to enlarge):
 

• Smartphone users spend an average of 187 minutes per day on their devices;

• Six smartphone user personas that emerged:
  1. Data Guzzlers: Identified by the highest data consumption, with usage skewed towards browsing and gaming.
  2. Dabblers: Lowest engagement with their smartphone and seldom access apps and sites.
  3. App Junkies: Install the highest number of apps and games at the rate of 11 apps in a month.
  4. Power Users: Spend the most time on smartphones at 219 minutes a day, predominantly female users with higher than average engagement across multiple app genres.
  5. Utilitarians: Utility-driven app usage along with apps for voice calls, news and emails.
  6. Social Stars (13%): Spend half of their time on social networking and chat apps (almost an hour and a half each day).

• Data Guzzlers spend up to 52 mins a day playing games on the mobile phones ;

• 17% of the smartphone users who install around 11 apps and games a month are classified as App Junkies;

• 16% of the smartphone users who are predominantly females and spend 219 minutes a day on their smartphones are classified as Power Users;

• 13% smartphone users who are predominantly females and spend almost an hour and a half each day on social networking, chat and VoIP (Voice-over-Internet Protocol) apps are segmented as Social Stars; and

• Dabblers and Utilitarians are driven by need and spend the least time on their mobile devices (171 and 177 mins per day).

SUPR is based on an automated usage data collection from over 1,244 smartphone users in Malaysia, over a three-month period.
 
The study was conducted using smartphone metering technology installed by opt-in panellists on their smartphones. From the two-step cluster analysis, with 27 actual smartphone usage parameters as input variables, six smartphone user personas emerged, Vserv said.
 
The full report is available here.
 
Related Stories:
 
Malaysia amongst most savvy, least brand-conscious smartphone markets: Study
 
TV? It’s about VOD, on-demand, mobile and UGC now: Ericsson report
 
Chat apps challenge Asian social behaviour
 
 
For more technology news and the latest updates, follow us on Twitter, LinkedIn or Like us on Facebook.