South African

Mobile Report
A Survey of Desktop Users Attitudes and
Uses of Mobile Phones
February 2016
In partnership with:
OVERVIEW

Effective Measure, a leading provider of digital audience, brand and

advertising measurement, surveyed 2,299 mobile Internet users in
South Africa (between November and December, 2015). Topics
covered a range of areas including but not limited to users
manufacturer preference, time on device, use of device and internet
usage. The survey was conducted across smartphones and feature
phones to highlight the differences in user consumption across the
two types of mobile Internet connections.

www.effectivemeasure.com Source: Effective Measure, Nov-Dec 2015 PAGE 1

KEY FINDINGS

Samsung is still the dominant manufacturer in South 60% of respondents say that they download apps.
1 7
Africa with 41% market share, while 27% reported
using other brands than the established manufacturers.

83% of respondents admit to using internet on

2
32% of respondents spend more than 3 hours a day 8
their devices while watching TV in the last 30 days,
on their devices, with 19% saying they spend more
with 71% saying they do as soon as they wake up.
than 5 hours on their devices.
1
39% admit to using the internet on their devices
3
84% of respondents have knowingly accessed the 9
while they are in the bathroom, and 12% admit to
internet on their devices in the last 24 hours, while only
doing so while driving.
3% said they havent at all recently.

The main reasons for clicking on a mobile ad are

4
More respondents say they use their devices for 10
relevance, trusting the brand and its safety, and that
accessing the internet (64%) and making calls (57%),
it is interesting or engaging.
while only 20% say they use their device mostly for
sending and receiving SMSes.
The least important factors for clicking on an ad
11
89% of respondents said they make searches based on are - they see it often, that it has a video clip
5 in it, or that it was demonstrating something.
location, with 37% saying they almost always do.

Most common uses of devices are for search, 42% of respondents said that they are similar to
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email, social and instant messaging, while the least people who are comfortable with technology, while
are making payments and playing games. 19% say they are not.

www.effectivemeasure.com Source: Effective Measure, Nov-Dec 2015 PAGE 2

 4% Nokia
6% Apple

MANUFACTURER 42% Samsung

Samsung is still the dominant manufacturer in South 13% Blackberry

Africa with 42% market share, while 27% reporting using
other brands than the established manufacturers.
1% HTC MAKE OF MOBILE
DEVICE USE 2% LG PHONE BEING USED
5% Sony Ericsson
32% of respondents spend more than 3 hours a day
on their devices, with 19% saying they spend more
than 5 hours on their devices.

27% Other

60% AVERAGE TIME SPENT ON MOBILE DEVICES

50%

40%

30%

20%

10% Smart Devices

Feature
under 30 between 30 between between between more than
minutes and 60 1 and 2 hours 2 and 3 hours 3 and 5 hours 5 hours
minutes
Source: Effective Measure, Nov-Dec 2015 PAGE 3
 84% Yesterday
INTERNET ACCESS
USING DEVICE
9% Past 7 days
84% of respondents have LAST ACCESS OF
knowingly accessed the INTERNET FROM
internet on their devices in 3% Past 4 weeks
the last 24 hours, while only MOBILE DEVICE 1% 4-12 months ago
3% said they havent at all 3% Longer ago
recently.

2 MAIN USES OF MOBILE DEVICE

Smart Devices Feature Phones

70%

60%
DEVICE USES
50%
More respondents say they
use their devices for 40%
accessing the internet (64%)
and making calls (57%),
30%
while only 20% say they use
their device mostly for sending
and receiving SMSes. 20%

10%

accessing accessing making calls receiving sending and sending

applications the internet calls receiving SMSes please call
me messages
www.effectivemeasure.com Source: Effective Measure, Nov-Dec 2015 PAGE 4
DEVICE USES
Most common uses of devices are for search, email, social and instant messaging,
while the least are making payments and playing games. MOBILE PHONE USEAGE
60% of respondents say that they download apps. Smart Device
Feature Phone

90%

80%

70%

60%

50%

40%

30%

20%

10%

banking downloading email downloading instant making playing reading search on social watching
apps music messaging purchases games articles google networking videos
and online
payments

www.effectivemeasure.com Source: Effective Measure, Nov-Dec 2015 PAGE 5

 11% Almost never
37% Almost always
25% Every
now and then
M SEARCHES USING DEVICE
89% of respondents said they make
searches based on location, with 37%
FREQUENCY OF saying they almost always do.
3% Not at all
LOCATION-BASED 39% Quite similar
MOBILE SEARCHES

16% Not
too similar

27% Frequently SIMILARITY TO PEOPLE

AT EASE WITH COMPUTERS,
CELL PHONES, AND NEW
TECHNOLOGY

TECH SAVVY
42% of respondents said that they are
similar to people who are comfortable with
technology, while 19% say they are not.

42% Very similar

www.effectivemeasure.com Source: Effective Measure, Nov-Dec 2015 PAGE 6
TIME OF USE
83% of respondents admit to using internet on their devices while watching TV in the last 30
days, with 71% saying they do as soon as they wake up.
TIME OF USE OF
39% admit to using the internet on their devices while they are in the bathroom, and 12% SMART DEVICES
admit to doing so while driving. Smart Device

90%

80%

70%

60%

50%

40%

30%

20%

10%

in bed as soon as during while when at school/ at work in the while when I am
I wake up a meal driving being varsity bathroom watching in a wi-fi
driven TV area

www.effectivemeasure.com Source: Effective Measure, Nov-Dec 2015 PAGE 7

CLICKING ON ADVERTISEMENTS
The main reasons for clicking on a mobile ad are relevance, trusting the brand
and its safety, and that it is interesting or engaging.
REASONS FOR ENGAGING
WITH A MOBILE AD
The least important factors are because they see it often, that it has a video clip Smart Device
in it, or that it was demonstrating something.
Feature Phone

70%

60%

50%

40%

30%

20%

10%

if I knew if I knew if I saw if it was if it had if I was if it was if it was if it was if it was if it had a
and trusted it was it often different a video offered a funny interesting on a relevant demonstration
the brand safe clip special or website to me
deal engaging I trusted

www.effectivemeasure.com Source: Effective Measure, Nov-Dec 2015 PAGE 8

ABOUT EFFECTIVE MEASURE GLOSSARY OF TERMS
Effective Measure is a leading provider of digital audience, brand and Unique Browser
advertising effectiveness measurement and targeting solutions, bringing Based on the number of browser types accessing the site.
best practice online measurement data to premium publishers, agencies,
networks, advertisers and researchers. The EM solutions offer brands, media Smartphone
and agencies invested in Oceania, Europe, Southeast Asia, Middle East North A mobile phone that performs many of the functions of a computer, typically
Africa and South Africa, a clear insight into their online audience and the having a touchscreen interface, Internet access, and an operating system
ever-growing Internet population. www.effectivemeasure.com. capable of running downloaded apps.

ABOUT THE IAB SOUTH AFRICA
The Interactive Advertising Bureau South Africa, formerly the DMMA, is an
independent, voluntary, non-profit association focused on growing and
sustaining a vibrant and profitable digital industry within South Africa. The
IAB South Africa represents the digital industry across all sectors including the
media, the marketing community, government and the public, and also acts as
the channel through which international bodies can enter the South African
digital market. The IAB South Africa currently represents over 96 local online
publishers and over 93 creative, media and digital agencies, between them
accounting for more than 16 million local unique browsers and 440 million page
impressions. The IAB South Africa strives to provide members with a platform
through which they can engage, interact and address digital issues of common
interest, thereby stimulating learning and commerce within the South African
digital space.
Feature Phone
A mobile phone that incorporates features such as the ability to access the
Internet and store and play music but lacks the advanced functionality of a
smartphone.
SURVEY METHODOLOGY
This survey was conducted in November and December 2015. The sample was
2039 smartphone respondents and 260 feature phone respondents.
THANKS
We would like to thank the participating Publishers who kindly contributed their
valuable mobile inventory to allow us to run this research on feature phone devices.

To find out more about the IAB South Africa, visit the website www.dmma.co.za,
Like them on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/thedmma or follow @iab_sa
on Twitter.

ABOUT SILVERSTONE CIS

Established in 1996, Silverstone is an award-winning Creative Interactive
Solutions group with international credentials in the development of online and
mobile communications, marketing and business solutions. Silverstone helps
brands and organisations to connect and engage with their audiences across
mobile, social and digital channels.

ABOUT MMA
The MMA is the world's leading global non-profit trade association comprised
of more than 800 member companies, from nearly fifty countries around the
world. MMA Member companies hail from every faction of the mobile media
ecosystem. Our consortium includes brand marketers, agencies, enabling
technologies, media companies and others. The MMA's mission is to accelerate
the transformation and innovation of marketing through mobile, driving business
growth with closer and stronger consumer engagement. www.mmasa.org
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