Opera Software survey uncovers preferences in mobile behavior in Brazil
Ṣo Paulo, Brazil РApril 17, 2012
Opera Software announced today the results of its survey titled “Brazilian Mobile Browsing Overview,” providing insights about what Brazilians value most while using their mobile devices, how much they are willing to spend on data connectivity and more. With a sample of more than 8,300 participants, all of them Opera Mini users, one of the key findings is that speed is what Brazilians value most while browsing the mobile web.
Opera Mini is the most popular mobile browser in Brazil with close to 32% market share, according to third-party research firm StatCounter. Worldwide, Opera Mini has more than 160 million users who use Opera Mini for its speed, data savings, rich feature-set and cross-platform availability. Monthly active users of Opera Mini in Brazil grew an impressive 161% in March 2012 compared to March 2011.
In the survey, 62% agreed that speed was the most important feature for them while browsing the mobile web, followed by ease of use (42%), more functionality (30%) and saving money and data (29%). When it comes to how much users are willing to spend, 62% of the respondents said they would be willing to spend up to R$10 on a monthly basis for mobile broadband.
“Although data savings come as the fourth-most valued item when browsing, Brazilians expect fast browsing to be delivered within a reasonable budget to access mobile internet,” stated Nuno Sitima, Senior Vice President, Mobile Business Development, Opera Software. “As Opera Mini shrinks down webpages to as little as 10% of their original size on mobile devices,, they can be delivered up to six times faster, providing an experience in line with the demands of Brazilian users.”
Based on the survey results, 18 % said they would spend up to R$5 monthly on a mobile internet plan, 44% from R$5 to R$10, 28% from R$10 to R$30, 7% from R$30 to R$50, and only 3% R$50 and over. Out of the total respondents, 76% have a pre-paid data plan; 9% postpaid, and 15% said they do not have a data plan.
When asked where they browse the internet the most, home leads with 64%, LAN houses/internet cafés, with 23%, on the go, with 20%, at work, with 15%, and lastly at school, with 12%.
“Even though economics and ease of credit access has helped Brazilians to buy PCs, smartphones and mobile connectivity over the years, it is interesting to note that LAN houses and internet cafes are still relevant in Brazil,” said Sabrina Zaremba, Regional Manage for Latin America, Opera Software. “This possibly comes from the fact that 50% of those surveyed said that they do not have a PC at home or work. This also means that, for many Brazilians, the primary way of accessing the internet is their mobile device.”
On the question of mobile commerce, 55% of those surveyed said they would like to use their mobile devices for buying products and services, When asked whether they were planning to buy a mobile device in the next six months, 63% said they did not plan to buy a new device, and 22% said they would buy an Android device.
The profile of people surveyed on Opera Mini was mainly young, with 64% up to 24 years old and 78% being male. Most of the respondents were students (42%), followed by full-time employees (38%) and part-time employees (11%). Sixty six percent of those surveyed said their monthly income was more R$ 1,000 or less, demostrating that the lower income bracket is browsing the web more and more on their mobile phones.
Methodology on Brazilian Mobile Browsing Overview, by Opera Software
Over 8,300 Opera Mini users in Brazil participated in the study “Brazilian Mobile Browsing Overview”, conducted by Opera Software from March 27 to April 4, 2012. This study comprises the opinion of Opera Mini users – regardless of gender and age – who clicked on the survey button displayed on the Opera Mini home page during this period.