MANILA, Philippines—Google Philippines declared that the Philippines will be a mobile first country by the last quarter of 2014.
Mobile first means people will access Internet through their mobile phones more than desktop.
The forecast was issued during the first Mobile Festival organized in part by Mobile Marketing Academy and International Institute of Digital Marketing last November 25.
“Smartphones are the backbone of our daily use,” Reyes said. “They are the devices used most throughout the day and serves as the most common starting point for activities across multiple screens (desktop, tablet, smartphone).”
The signs are there. According to OurMobileWorld.com report, smartphone users in the country grow three times each year. The Philippines’ growth rate of 39 percent is in fact the third highest in the Southeast Asian region behind Singapore’s 72 percent and Malaysia’s 55 percent. Vietnam comes fourth with 20 percent and Indonesia fifth with 14 percent.
Reyes revealed that the use of smartphone in the Philippines is not just restricted to screens: 62percent use it to listen to music, 58 percent to access the Internet, 42 percent to watch TV, 37 percent to watch movie, 30 percent to play video games and 27 percent to read magazines and newspapers.
Last year, 35 percent of web users in the country used their mobile phone to go online, 29 percent used their laptop, another 29 percent used their desktop, and 6 percent used their tablet.
Reyes believed the introduction of affordable, Android smartphones (as low as P2,000) will boost the numbers up this year.
“Mobile devices are always on,” advised Reyes to businessmen and companies. “It’s critical to ensure mobile connections are reaching your customers consistently to maintain an ongoing dialogue between your intended customers and your brand and your product.”
“Going mobile has now become a business imperative,” Reyes stressed.
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