Vuclip, a mobile video and media company, announced today the results of a study revealing that more than 20 million mobile video consumers in India are largely trending towards mobile devices as their go-to source for content. According to the survey, about 81% of metro and 87% of non-metro survey participants identified mobile phones as a preferred medium. Moreover, 80%, an overwhelming majority, of Vuclip’s consumers report watching videos on their mobile devices at least once every 2-3 days, with more than half opting to watch daily.
The study polled over 500 respondents across numerous locales and demographics in India from the Vuclip user base. About 58% of the study participants were from metros and 42% were from non-metros. The greatest number of respondents, 83%, came from the age group of 18-34, demonstrating tremendous affinity among youth audiences for the mobile medium.
The mobile phone has emerged as a strong alternative to traditional entertainment media like television, as most of the users surveyed regardless of region, watch videos from home (72%). The most popular genres among participants were movies and music, though in non-metro areas, the popularity of TV shows and lifestyle entertainment videos spiked. It’s notable that there is a growing interest in longer videos on mobile, with most metro users (59%) opting for videos over five minutes in length.
The 2G internet connection is still the most widely used, making up 73% of non-metro and 58% of metro markets, although metro users report higher usage of 3G networks (24% versus 19%). Samsung and Nokia phones lead in both regions, with the former dominating metro areas and the latter favored among those polled in non-metro regions. In metros, 73% of consumers spend over Rs. 4000 (approximately $65) for their device where-as in non-metro areas, 44% of consumers favor phones priced less than Rs. 4000, explaining the dominance of Samsung and Nokia devices in metros and non-metros respectively.
“The data speaks volumes for the fact that in a very short time, mobile phones have garnered undisputed dominance in terms of content consumption. For a majority of Indian consumers, it’s the only screen, and no doubt, the demand for mobile video will be pushed to new heights in the days to come,” said Vuclip COO Arun Prakash.
