A LITTLE TOLERANCE FOR THE younger generation, please: That brat walking just ahead of you staring obsessively at her cell phone may be accessing your Web site or e-mail messages.
People in this age group are comfortable using their phones to receive information. So they'll be good prospects for mobile marketing messages, especially as they age and gain wealth, according to a report from Forrester Research.
Phones and personal digital assistants are increasingly wired for online information or commerce. Forrester noted that 45% of Generation Y-ers (18- to 26-year-olds) with a mobile phone use Web-enabled versions, compared with 8% of older baby boomers (those between age 51 and 61).
Overall, 22% of all households have at least one Web-enabled phone, Forrester continued.
The average age for cell phone users — 40 — is less than it is for 21 other devices. It's 41 for MP3 players, 42 for handheld video games and camera phones and 50 for automotive global positioning systems.
For now, members of Gen Y use their Web-enabled mobile phones more for fun than anything else. They employ them to download or stream video or music files, send or receive text messages and pictures, play games, or get entertainment news and information.
But the older generations are more likely to access the Web via their phones to buy event tickets, check financial accounts or stock quotes, or research products for purchase. These uses reflect the wealth that accrues with age.
Forrester based its findings on mail surveys of 66,707 households in North America. The survey was conducted by NFO Research.
