64% of Kiwis Own A Smartphone
New statistics suggest that almost 64% of New Zealanders aged between 15 and 65 own a smartphone. The rise of smartphone usage has been championed by companies such as Samsung, Google and Apple. The power now offered in your phone exceeds that of most computers that existed 10 years ago!
According to research by Frost & Sullivan, ownership levels are expected to grow strongly over the coming years, with 90 percent penetration forecast by 2018.
Google's Android system, which appears on 64 percent of smart-phones, leads over Apple iOS at surprisingly just 24 percent as the preferred system of choice.
Ongoing improvements in functionality, lower prices and budget model phones from manufacturer such as HTC, Nokia and Acer are likely to mean Apple's market share will continue to drop over the next few years.
New Zealand Mobile Device Usage 2013 reported that over the past five years, mobile devices have changed from primarily being used for voice-calls and text-messaging, to more sophisticated multi-functional usage made possible by faster wireless (3G, 4G) Internet connections.
Smart-Phones & Website Design
So what does this mean for your website? Well fortunately if your website has been constructed to W3C-guidelines - the Internet's policing body for "what's right and what's wrong" - then your website will still be mostly accessible via a smart-phone device.
However, to maximise your website for the best experience, you should consider "Mobile Optimisation" - a technique that allows your site to be visually and functionally different for mobile users to those on a personal computer. You still only have one website - but via the use of magic "media queries" - means that the layout and content is reorganised to suit a smaller, touch-screen with a lower speed Internet connection.
With out latest projects implementing these new techniques, our websites are more like a phone "App" to use, meaning you customers get the best experience, however they visit your business website.
Get in touch to find out more about mobile website optimisation.
Article published Friday 20th of December 2013
