The Smartphone Buzz

By Chester Ng, Account Manager (Southeast Asia)

Across Southeast Asia, we've been noticing a shift in the way consumers are surfing the mobile internet. A rapidly growing number of mobile surfers are using smartphones – Blackberries, iPhones and devices like high-end Nokias that use the Symbian S60 operating system – to access the mobile internet.

Some makers of these high-end devices are also noticing the shift and have started targeting their user base with mobile advertisements.

In Singapore and Thailand, smartphone users account for more than half of all ad page views of banners served across the BuzzCity Advertising Network. In Indonesia and Malaysia, 1 out of every 3 to 4 surfers is accesing the mobile internet from a smartphone. We're also seeing triple-digit growth in smartphone use in these markets.

MOBILE ADVERTISING INDEX (Q4 '09)

Mobile advertising across the BuzzCity Advertising Network grew 41 percent in 2009, as compared with 2008. Sixteen countries measured triple digit year-on-year growth, based on traffic data gathered across our network.

Commentary : Mobile Web Beats Mobile App

Continental Airlines recently placed ads on a mobile website (whitepages.com) and inside the directory's iPhone application. 

Which did better?