Mobile Internet Search Use Jumps

This is a undeniable trend: mobile internet search increased dramatically in 2008.

The consumption of mobile data services, including search, has steadily increased year over year as indicated by the use of email and web from mobile phones such as the Apple iPhone and RIM BlackBerry.

According to surveys conducted by ABI Research in 2007 and 2008, 70 percent of respondents used their mobile phones to access information through Internet search engines last year. US mobile internet search usage rose 14 percent in 2008.

News, game downloads, music downloads, and especially video downloads accessed via mobile phones rose in popularity from 2007 to 2008. A significantly lower percentage in 2008 reported downloading a ringtone than the prior year, while the interest in location information, social networking and sports remained about the same.