The iPhone in Latin America - a lost opportunity? Pt 2

Following an earlier post (see here) about the potential VISUAL VOICE MAIL for iPhone has to impact subscriber data usage, I will be posting excerpts of an article I wrote for Convergencia Latina to expand on this topic.

After more than one year of its launch, the iPhone has shown that traditional services such as voicemail and text messaging can greatly benefit from the use of visual interfaces that improve the user experience[1]. Acording to M:Metrics, the iPhone is already the most popular device for accessing news and information on the mobile Web[2]:

  • 85 percent of iPhone users browse the mobile Web
  • 30.9 percent of iPhone owners watched mobile TV or video, versus a 4.6 market average, and more than double the rate for all smartphone users.
  • Usage of social networking is also popular among iPhone users: 49.7 percent accessed a social networking site in January, nearly twelve times the market average.

Improving the user experience can increase voicemail usage, which should reflect in a higher number of voicemail deposits and increased revenue for operators. This is reflected in the price plans offered by operators that have launched the iPhone.

We will continue to discuss and analyze usage behavior, with focus in Latin America.

[1] “iPhone drives 'unheard of' data traffic - O2”, http://macworld.co.uk/ipod-itunes/news/index.cfm?newsid=20402
[2] Source: M:Metrics, Inc., Copyright © 2008. Survey of U.S. mobile subscribers. Data based on three-month moving average for period ending 31st January 2008.

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