2013 consumer trends by Ericsson

AS 2013 doors open, Ericsson ConsumerLab has identified the consumer trends for the year to watch and beyond, with Women topping the drive for smartphone markets. DigitalSENSE Business News gathered that for over 15 years, ConsumerLab has conducted research into people’s values, behavior and ways of using Information and Communication Technology (ICT) products and services.

Head, Research at ConsumerLab, Mr. Michael Björn says “Our global research program is based on annual interviews with over 100,000 individuals in more than 40 countries and 15 megacities. Over the years we have amassed a huge database of consumer trend data – and we see that the pace of change is currently more rapid than ever.”

Here are the 10 consumer trends to watch in 2013:

1. Women drive smartphone market. New figures clearly show that women drive mass market smartphone adoption. 97 per cent of female smartphone owners use Short Messaging Service (SMS). 77 per cent send/receive photos, 59 per cent use social networking, 24 per cent check in at locations and 17 per cent redeem coupons. Men are lower in these areas.

2. Cloud reliance reshapes device needs. More than 50 percent of tablet users and well above 40 percent of smartphone users in USA, Japan, Australia and Sweden appreciate the improved simplicity of having the same apps and data seamlessly available through the cloud on multiple devices.

3. Computing for a scattered mind. From desktops, files and folders to flat surfaces, apps and cloud services, consumers are increasingly turning their backs on a computing paradigm for the focused mind. Task are handled at the spur of the moment - as we stand in a shopping line or talk to someone at a café. Purchase intent is higher for tablets compared to desktop PCs, and for smartphones compared to laptops.

4. Bring your own broadband to work. 57 percent of smartphone users use their personal smartphone subscriptions at work. In order to remain in the loop, people bring their own smartphones with their personal smartphone subscriptions to work. Personal smartphones are increasingly being used for work, to send emails, plan business trips, find locations and more.

5. City-dwellers go relentlessly mobile. By relentlessly accessing the internet always and everywhere, consumers are now an unstoppable force making internet truly mobile. Total smartphone subscriptions will reach 3.3 billion by 2018 and mobile network coverage is one of the most important drivers of satisfaction for city life.

6. Personal social security networks. As a result of economic turbulence, trust in traditional structures and authorities is decreasing and consumers increasingly trust their personal communities. Personal networks online serve as a safety net and social media is shaping up to be a serious contender to the traditional job agency.

7. Cities become hubs for social creativity. City center dwellers have significantly more friends online than people in suburban areas. 12 percent of people that live in cities say that the main reason for using social networks is to connect and exchange ideas with others, making it the third most common reason for social networking after staying up-to-date with friends and keeping them updated.

8. In-line shopping. 32 percent of smartphone users already shop with smartphones; they now start to combine in-store and online shopping aspects. They want to see products, get information and make price comparisons, and get purchases immediately without having to que up at the cash register.

9. TV goes social. 62 per cent use social media while watching video and TV - and 42 per cent of this subgroup discuss things they currently watch on a weekly basis. Over 30 per cent are more likely to pay for content watched in social contexts. The majority of video and TV consumption on mobile devices takes place in the home.

10. Learning in transformation. Learning is transformed through both internal and external forces: Young people bring their personal technology experience into the classroom, driving a bottom-up pressure for change. Simultaneously governments and institutions look for new ICT solutions in order to be more efficient. Connectivity changes the outlook for children on a global scale. In India, around 30 million of 69 million urban children aged 9 to 18 own mobile phones.

Remmy Nweke/DSBNews 
... Making SENSE of digital revolution!

ICT boost financial inclusion fourfold –World Bank

THE international financial institution, World Bank and the African union have said that Information and Communications Technology (ICT) and innovative business models have in the past helped the widening of financial inclusion.

The two international bodies, cited Kenya as a case study and made known that active bank accounts have grown fourfold since 2007, the growth they attribute to 17 million M-Pesa mobile money accounts in the country.

Commenting on this, Sustainable Development director for Africa region, Jamal Saghir noted that the internet and mobile phones are agents of transformation and development on the continent through the injection of new dynamism in key sectors.

According to Saghir, the challenge would be to improve on innovations and success stories for greater social and economic impacts across Africa over the next decade.

“Valuable and sustainable applications are most likely to develop within an environment that encourages experimentation,” Saghir disclosed emphasising that there is need for collaboration between technologists, entrepreneurs and development practitioners.

A report by the World Bank and the African Development Bank (AfDB) with the support of AU, titled ‘eTransform Africa’ explored the contributions of ICT to agriculture, climate change adaptation, education and health.

Other areas in which the report also touched include the continent’s regional trade and integration, highlighting the need to build a competitive ICT industry to boost innovation, job creation and the export potential of African companies.

 
Remmy Nweke/DSBNews
... Making SENSE of digital revolution!

MTN Nigeria votes N205bn for upgrades

IN a bid upgrade its service in 2013; MTN Nigeria would be investing the sum of $1.3 billion, about N205.16 billion for service upgrade.

The investment, MTN revealed is to ensure that MTN Nigeria subscribers experience a hitch-free communications services.

DigitalSENSEBusiness News gathered that the service upgrade investment would enhance network capacity and much improved quality of service to customers. 

Base stations would also be more environmentally-friendly through the installations of hybrid alternative energy solutions.

However, a leading South African Black Economic Empowerment investment holding company, Shanduka Group has paid $335 million, about N52.87 billion for a minority stake in MTN Nigeria.

The acquisition, Shanduka Group made known is the biggest investment outside its home market, and that it is a well established business within a market with great potential for further growth.

 

... Making SENSE of digital revolution!

Airtel introduces 4G LTE, commences with Lagos

ONE of the leading telecommunications company in Nigeria, Airtel Nigeria recently announced the successful implementation of a trial operation for its Long Term Evolution (LTE) in Lagos.

Widely accepted as fourth generation (4G) technology, LTE is a standard for wireless communication of high-speed date for mobile phones as well as data terminals, and it is based on advanced network technologies.

Airtel Nigeria Chief Executive Officer, Rajan Swaroop commenting on the success of the trial in Lagos said the company is passionate about continuously creating the next innovation to empower telecoms consumers while enriching their lives.

Swaroop also revealed that the success story would be taken to other part of the country to enable Nigerians to partake in the benefit of the innovation after it must have been launched.

The roll-out of 3.75G services, Airtel CEO said has lead to an improvement in customers’ experience which is give them high speed mobile broadband and internet access.

Remmy Nweke 
... Making SENSE of digital revolution!

2013 consumer trends by Ericsson

AS 2013 doors open, Ericsson ConsumerLab has identified the consumer trends for the year to watch and beyond, with Women topping the drive for smartphone markets. DigitalSENSE Business News gathered that for over 15 years, ConsumerLab has conducted research into people’s values, behavior and ways of using Information and Communication Technology (ICT) products and services. 

Head, Research at ConsumerLab, Mr. Michael Björn says “Our global research program is based on annual interviews with over 100,000 individuals in more than 40 countries and 15 megacities. Over the years we have amassed a huge database of consumer trend data – and we see that the pace of change is currently more rapid than ever.”

Here are the 10 consumer trends to watch in 2013:

1. Women drive smartphone market. New figures clearly show that women drive mass market smartphone adoption. 97 per cent of female smartphone owners use Short Messaging Service (SMS). 77 per cent send/receive photos, 59 per cent use social networking, 24 per cent check in at locations and 17 per cent redeem coupons. Men are lower in these areas.

2. Cloud reliance reshapes device needs. More than 50 percent of tablet users and well above 40 percent of smartphone users in USA, Japan, Australia and Sweden appreciate the improved simplicity of having the same apps and data seamlessly available through the cloud on multiple devices.

3. Computing for a scattered mind. From desktops, files and folders to flat surfaces, apps and cloud services, consumers are increasingly turning their backs on a computing paradigm for the focused mind. Task are handled at the spur of the moment - as we stand in a shopping line or talk to someone at a café. Purchase intent is higher for tablets compared to desktop PCs, and for smartphones compared to laptops.

4. Bring your own broadband to work. 57 percent of smartphone users use their personal smartphone subscriptions at work. In order to remain in the loop, people bring their own smartphones with their personal smartphone subscriptions to work. Personal smartphones are increasingly being used for work, to send emails, plan business trips, find locations and more. 

5. City-dwellers go relentlessly mobile. By relentlessly accessing the internet always and everywhere, consumers are now an unstoppable force making internet truly mobile. Total smartphone subscriptions will reach 3.3 billion by 2018 and mobile network coverage is one of the most important drivers of satisfaction for city life.

6. Personal social security networks. As a result of economic turbulence, trust in traditional structures and authorities is decreasing and consumers increasingly trust their personal communities. Personal networks online serve as a safety net and social media is shaping up to be a serious contender to the traditional job agency.

7. Cities become hubs for social creativity. City center dwellers have significantly more friends online than people in suburban areas. 12 percent of people that live in cities say that the main reason for using social networks is to connect and exchange ideas with others, making it the third most common reason for social networking after staying up-to-date with friends and keeping them updated.

8. In-line shopping. 32 percent of smartphone users already shop with smartphones; they now start to combine in-store and online shopping aspects. They want to see products, get information and make price comparisons, and get purchases immediately without having to que up at the cash register.

9. TV goes social. 62 per cent use social media while watching video and TV - and 42 per cent of this subgroup discuss things they currently watch on a weekly basis. Over 30 per cent are more likely to pay for content watched in social contexts. The majority of video and TV consumption on mobile devices takes place in the home. 

10. Learning in transformation. Learning is transformed through both internal and external forces: Young people bring their personal technology experience into the classroom, driving a bottom-up pressure for change. Simultaneously governments and institutions look for new ICT solutions in order to be more efficient. Connectivity changes the outlook for children on a global scale. In India, around 30 million of 69 million urban children aged 9 to 18 own mobile phones.

 

... Making SENSE of digital revolution!

NEWDS: Leo-Stan, a digital militant - Gov. Oshiomhole

Leo-Stan Ekeh, Zinox chairman

The Executive Governor of Edo State, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole has described the chairman of Zinox group, Dr. Leo-Stan Ekeh as a digital militant.

This, he said, Dr. Ekeh has shown in his aggressiveness and determination in seeing Nigeria and Nigerians adopt to Information and Communication Technologies (ICT).

Speaking as the chairman at the official unveiling of the Nigerian Employees Digital Welfare Scheme (NEDWS), Gov. Oshiomhole promised that his administration would be the first to buy into this project, a promise fulfilled merely a month after the official launch.

Gov. Oshiomhole used the opportunity to call on governments at all levels to support and encourage private sector-led initiatives like NEDWS, saying that he was most excited on hearing about the scheme of which he got an electronic invitation, and described such as the simplest way to invite a governor.

Commending the initiative, Gov. Oshiomhole, accompanied Chief Emeka Ihedioha, Deputy Speaker, House of Representatives, Mrs. Omobola Johnson, Minister of Communications and Technology and Abdulwaheed Omar, President of the Nigeria Labour Congress, tasked all governments in the country to create the enabling environment for workers in their domain to take advantage of NEDWS.

DigitalSENSE Business News, recalls that NEDWS product launch was at the prestigious Transcorp Hilton, in Abuja, under the Buyright Africa subsidiary of Zinox for conceptualizing NEDWS.

Also, Comrade Oshiomhole said that he was naturally endeared to NEDWS because of its total focus on the Nigerian worker, stressing that the ease of owning ICT and household products would lead to increased productivity and ultimately to an improved living standard for the Nigerian worker.

As said by him, NEDWS being different because of its no complicated interest, no collateral offer, he has followed the innovation of Leo-Stan Ekeh and his group shows consistent and the country needs more of Dr. Ekeh in Nigeria.

Comrade Adams also said that NEDWS would generate loyalty for employers and increase participation in the democratic process.

For the Managing Director, Buyright Africa, Mr. Emomine Mukoro noted that the company was launched in partnership with an international finance group as a credible platform for the execution and funding of ICT projects, ICT  equipment Leasing , ICT ownership schemes and all  ICT related LPO financing in Africa. 

He revealed that NEDWS would provide ICT infra-structure to government and computers/lifestyle products to government employees under the computer cum lifestyle products owner-ship scheme with convenient payment plans, no bottlenecks, qualified only by an employer’s guarantee.

Equally speaking, Deputy Speaker, House of Representatives, Chief Emeka Ihedioha, said he was not surprised that NEDWS, designed to alleviate the burden of the Nigerian worker as he acquires the tools of his trade or household products, was coming from the consistent stream of innovations from Leo Stan Ekeh’s stable, a man who has earned immense national respect from his hard work.

The Deputy Speaker announced that the House of Representatives endorses NEDWS for its obvious benefits for the Nigerian worker while urging Nigerians to take advantage of the Buyright Africa initiative.

The Minister of Communications and Technology, Mrs. Omobola Johnson remarked that NEDWS, would enhance the density of ICT penetration in Nigeria and was perfectly in line with her vision to increase the contribution of ICTs to the Gross Domestic Product (GDP).

Just as the President, Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Abdulwaheed Omar, who cut short a trip to Argentina to attend the launch, added that NEDWS was commendable because it would free the worker from financial stress, enable a single minded focus on his responsibilities and enable a fraud free working class.

The NEDWS launch lived up to its pre-launch expectations as Leo-Stan Ekeh, Digital entrepreneur extraordinaire shared success tips with guests at the launch.

Some of the highlights included the need to avoid debt as much as possible when building a business; as an entrepreneur your integrity must serve as your greatest collateral; avoid status living – the temptation to live a false life; all entrepreneurs must be guided by the fear of God in their businesses; insulation for hard times must be achieved through investment in property.

Remmy Nweke/DSBN

... Making SENSE of digital revolution!