Dubai: Samsung is the dominant manufacturer in the Middle East with 38 per cent market share while Apple trails at 36 per cent, according to a survey conducted by Dubai-based Effective Measure.
The “2017 Mobile in the Middle East” Report gives unique insights into how consumers are using their mobiles, keeping you up to date with their changing habits and preferences.
The report confirms that mobile phones have well and truly become a part of our daily lives.
The survey revealed that 78 per cent of Mena smartphone owners use their mobile for over two hours a day, while 56 per cent of Mena respondents have made a purchase from a mobile device, 12 per cent were clothing and fashion related purchases and two per cent were finance products.
As for what we are doing on our phones, the most-read types of content are news, sport and technology.
“We started this research because we know professionally and personally how integrated mobile phones are in our lives. What we don’t really know is how MENA audiences in particular use their smartphones.
These insights highlight how people in the Middle East and North Africa are changing as consumers,” said Matthew Robarts, MD for Effective Measure Middle East and North Africa.
The study surveyed 2,796 people between May-July 2017, through desktops exclusively.
According to respondents, the three most popular types of content read on mobile devices are news (15 per cent), sport (12 per cent) & technology 7 per cent). 4 per cent of respondents reported not reading content on mobile devices at all.
Respondents aged 20-29 were most likely to spend an average of more than five hours a day on mobile devices (30 per cent) compared to those aged over 40, of which only 27 per cent reported spending more than five hours a day on mobile devices.
Female respondents most commonly own Apple mobile devices as opposed to male respondents who most commonly own Samsung mobile devices.
A greater number of younger respondents (aged 15-29) reported owning Apple while 44 per cent of respondents reported never having made a purchase on a mobile device.
Apps or in-app purchases (13 per cent), fashion & clothing (12 per cent) and travel & accommodation (10 per cent) are the most commonly reported mobile purchases
Robarts said that almost 70 per cent of people living in MENA browse the web on their mobile. The lives of those in the region are changing as they become more connected than ever.
“Interestingly enough, almost half of people in the region will click on a mobile advertisement if it was advertising something they wanted and needed. Providing the context and environment are appropriate, the right message at the right time to the right person is more important than ever if brands want to cut through and connect with their target audience,” he said.
