Indian youngsters lag behind mobile Internet use

Source: PTI

January 13, 2011 15:51 IST

Indian youngsters seem to be less tech-savvy as they lag behind their global counterparts when it comes to mobile internet use, according to a study by market researcher Nielsen.

The research on youth and cellphone usage has found that less than 10 per cent of young Indians used their mobile devices to access the web in the last month while 73 per cent of Chinese aged between 15 and 24 used mobile Internet in the last 30 days, The Independent reported.

"Usage patterns vary greatly among youth throughout the world, demonstrating how culture, economy and age can all play a large part in mobile behaviour.

These factors affect device selection, payment and usage," said Nielsen in its research published on January 11.

The study added: "Indian males aged 15-24 are twice as likely as their female counterparts to use text messaging and four times more likely to use picture messaging.

"China

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and Saudi Arabia also skew male when it comes to messaging, but by a more narrow margin."

According to the study, Chinese youth are the heaviest mobile internet users while youth in the US can't stop sending emails.

Some 48 per cent of US youth used mobile Internet in the last 30 days as compared to 46 per cent of youth in the UK.

Less than one quarter of young people living in other European countries said they used mobile internet in the last 30 days, it found.

Saudi Arabia's youth downloaded the most ringtones and screensavers in the last 30 days and 15-24-year-olds in the US were the most likely to use their phone's e-mail features.