Mobile Analytics Report
February 2014
The Citrix Mobile Analytics Report for February 2014 provides insight into
subscriber behavior and related factors that affect subscribers’ quality
of experience (QoE) with mobile data services. The intent is to provide mobile
network operators with real-world examples that can inform decisions about
improving subscriber QoE and differentiating services to manage and monetize
increasing volumes of traffic, while at the same time providing broad insight into
the state of the mobile data ecosystem.
February 2014 Highlights
The February 2014 report provides insight into mobile data subscribers’ daily usage patterns and the impact this behavior has on operators’ networks. Findings from the report address topics such as mobile advertising and social networking, mobile network usage by content type and time of day, mobile games, mobile health and quantitative examples of measured mobile data experience.
Mobile ads are now served to 50% of smartphone subscribers - up from 30% of smartphone subscribers as reported in the February 2013 Citrix Mobile Analytics Report.
Internet Radio has doubled in subscriber popularity with 20% of subscribers listening to Internet Radio over the mobile network - up from 10% as reported in February 2013.
10% of smartphone subscribers play network-connected games. Mobile games generate 1.5% of an average smartphone subscriber’s data volume, comparable to the volume attributable to mobile advertising as reported in November 2013.
The top 10 most popular mobile health apps by subscriber usage are related to fitness and running, weight-loss and nutrition, and women’s health.
Social networking is increasing in network impact as this category is made up of 63% images and 32% video – a significant change from 2013 when social networking video apps such as Vine and Instagram Video didn’t exist.
This year, 50% of mobile web pages downloaded in 5 seconds or less, a 3-second improvement over the figure reported in February 2013, in which 50% of mobile web pages downloaded in 8 seconds or less.
On average, mobile videos on an LTE network stall for an average of 15 seconds while on a 3G network, video stalling averages 47 seconds.
This report is an analysis of anonymously sourced information gathered over the preceding quarter about mobile network data traffic from a global cross-section of Citrix customers. The data presented is not intended to reflect a comprehensive view of all mobile network data traffic or of all mobile network subscribers.
Mobile Data Subscriber Behavior: More Mobile Ads Being Served
Mobile Data Subscriber Behavior: More Mobile Ads Being Served
Mobile Analytics Report February 2014 3
Findings
In 2014, on any given day, out of every ten smartphone subscribers:
5/10 smartphone subscribers are served mobile ads, an increase of 66% over 2013 when only 3/10 were served ads
4/10 smartphone subscribers engage in social networking, the same as in 2013
3/10 smartphone subscribers engage in ecommerce, the same as in 2013
2/10 smartphone subscribers listen to internet radio, 200% more than in 2013
2/10 smartphone subscribers watch mobile video, the same as 2013
2/10 smartphone subscribers use the app store, the same as in 2013
2/10 smartphone subscribers get an update
1/10 smartphone subscribers play network-connected games
Commentary
Mobile ads increasing in subscriber reach, network impact
The percentage of smartphone subscribers receiving mobile ads increased from 30% in 2013 to 50% in 2014. Mobile ads currently generate only 1-2% of a smartphone subscriber’s daily mobile data volume and only one-in-twenty are currently served video ads 1. In December 2013, Facebook introduced auto-playing video ads, a move that is sure to
increase the contribution of mobile ads to a subscriber’s overall data usage. Given the fact that 59% of consumers believe that ads do not count towards their quota 2, operators and publishers such as Facebook will eventually need
to reconcile an emerging conflict, opening the door to more numerous and sophisticated sponsored data plans.
1 November 2013 Citrix Mobile Analytics Report
Mobile Social Networking: Migrating to Video
Findings
Mobile social networking generates, on average, 8% of smartphone subscribers’ daily mobile data volume, although this percentage fluctuates widely by operator and region.
Social networking data volume consists primarily of images (63%), followed by video (32%) and text (5%).
5 Mobile Analytics Report February 2014
Commentary
Mobile social networking migrating to video
The relatively large video contribution of 32% to social network data volume is noteworthy, considering the fact that Twitter’s Vine and Facebook’s Instagram Video were not available until January and June of 2013, respectively. For more details on the impact of Twitter’s Vine and Facebook’s Instagram Video please refer to the November 2013 Citrix Mobile Analytics Report.
Daily Smartphone Data Volume
Social Networking
Mobile Social Networking Data Volume by Content Type
63%
27%
92%
8%
ImagesVideo Other Text
32%
5% Instagram Vine Pinterest Tumblr Facebook% of Daily Smartphone Subscribers % of Smartphone Subcribers Engaging in Social Networking, by Region
49% 38%
16% 31%
41%
% of Daily Smartphone Data Volume % of Smartphone Data Volume Attributable
to Social Networking, By Region
11%
7% 6%
10%
4% EMEA Operator A
EMEA Operator B US Operator A US Operator B Asia Operator A
Mobile Data Consumption: Media Player Generates Most Volume, Driven by YouTube
Android Smartphone
Data Volume Android Tablet Data Voume
iOS Smartphone
Data Volume Data VolumeiOS Tablet
Android Device
Content Breakdown
Media Player
Browser
App Store
Other
iOS Device
Content Breakdown
Media Player
Browser
App Store
Other
42%
44%
22%
13%21%
24%
14%
20%
50%
19%
14%
17%
47%
22%
16% 15%7
Media Player Traffic Volume Breakdown
Findings
Mobile network-connected tablets generate similar data usage patterns as smartphones, with the 80% or more of data volume being associated with the media player, browsing and the app store.
Android-based tablets generate 2x the data volume of Android-based smartphones, the same as reported in the February 2013 Citrix Mobile Analytics Report.
iOS-based tablets generate 3x the data volume of iOS-based smartphones, the same as reported in the February 2013 Citrix Mobile Analytics Report.
Media Player is associated with forty to fifty percent of data volume and 49% of the media player data volume is driven by YouTube, the most popular mobile video app. This is comparable to 49% of video traffic being driven by YouTube reported in the October 2010 Citrix Mobile Analytics Report.
Adult content generates 19% of Media Player volume, a decrease from the 31% reported in October 2010
Music accounts for 7% of Media Player data volume and Facebook video for 4%.
Mobile Analytics Report February 2014
Commentary
The Media Player is involved in the delivery of most video and audio for both iOS-based and Android-based devices. For example, when a subscriber clicks the YouTube app on either an Android or iOS device, the video is actually played using the Media Player, not the YouTube app. Understanding the content driving the Media Player is key to effectively managing mobile network load.
49%
19%
4%
7%
Mobile Data Usage: Content Use Varies by Time of Day
Weather before the Day Starts: 8am
2%
Finance in the Morning: 8am
Shopping Early or Late:
9am or 8pm
8 9 4% 6% 8% 8% 8% 8% 10% 20 8
8 12 17
News and Blogs During the Day:
8am, 12pm, 5pm
Videos Before, After, Between Work: 8am, 12pm, 5pm, 8pm 17 12 8% 20
Mobile Data Usage: Content Use Varies by Time of Day
Findings
Finance and weather are top-of-mind in the morning, peaking at 8 am.
Shopping peaks at 9 am in the morning, and again at 8 pm.
News and blogs capture interest throughout the day, with spikes coincident with breakfast, lunch and dinner.
Mobile video interest follows a similar pattern as news but with higher use during evening “prime time” at 8 pm.
Dating sites and apps become increasingly visited during the latter half of the day, as does social networking, which peaks between the hours of 7 and 10 pm.
Adult content is most popular in the late evening hours, starting at 11 pm and continuing through 1 am.
The mobile user behavior described suggests possible courses of action for mobile operators seeking to improve the subscriber experience. For example, operators may wish to prioritize categories of traffic during peak usage hours. The data further suggests opportunity for operators to partner with content providers to drive additional subscriber usage during off-peak times.
Mobile Analytics Report February 2014 9
Commentary Dating in the Evening: 10 pm
2%
19 20 21 22
4% 6% 8%
8%
8%
10%
22
Adult at Night: Midnight Social in the Evening: 7-10pm
11 Mobile Analytics Report February 2014
Mobile Games: Connected Games Now Have Embedded Video
Despicable Me
0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%
Hay Day Solitaire My Talking Tom Top Eleven
Content Breakdown of Top 5 Network-Connected Mobile Games
98% 77%
39% 51%
13% 87%
96%
Video Images App / Web
Findings
10% of smartphone subscribers play network-connected games. Connected mobile games generate 1.5% of an average smartphone subscriber’s data volume, comparable to the volume attributable to mobile advertising.
Network-connected games now include downloaded video content, a change from 2013, when no mobile games made use of video sent over the network.
The top two games – Despicable Me: Minion Rush and Hay Day – each have embedded video, generating 98% and 77% of each game’s data volume, respectively.
Commentary
Popularity and video content contribute to the network load generated by mobile games. So does addictiveness, which translates into time spent playing. In fact, 68% of survey respondents agree that they are “slightly addicted to at least one game on my mobile device” 3. The combination of high popularity, video content, network connectivity
and addictiveness is almost certain to characterize the next “hot” game to drive dramatic network data volume. Mobile operators that are able to spot the growth of these games in advance will be in a better position to ensure a high quality experience for their subscribers.
Findings
The top 10 mobile health apps, as ranked by number of subscribers accessing the mobile network, are Runtastic, My Fitness Pal, RunKeeper, Weight Watchers, Nike+, Map My Run, Pregnancy, Period Diary, Lose It!, and Baby Bump.
Use of mobile fitness apps grew from 39% of overall mobile health app subscribers last year to 50% of mobile health app subscribers this year.
Commentary
The fitness category of mobile health apps tend to generate a higher network load than other mobile health apps, due to the periodic updating of the user’s status, such as a runner’s progress along a route. We expect that activity trackers and other wearables such as the FitBit, Nike+, Pebble and Samsung Galaxy Gear smartwatch will generate ever greater network impact as they integrate more fitness and mobile health apps into their functionality.
13 Mobile Analytics Report February 2014
Findings
52% of mobile web pages load in 5 seconds or less, a 3-second improvement over the 8-second average measured and reported in the February 2013 Citrix Mobile Analytics Report.
80% of web pages load in 10 seconds or less.
Only 6% of web pages take more than 20 seconds to load, an improvement over the 20% of web pages which took over 20 seconds to load, as measured February 2013.
Commentary
Reduction in web page download times can be attributed to the mobile network technology improvements being made by mobile operators worldwide. The improvements should be welcome news to content providers, as 33% of subscribers will abandon a mobile website if it takes more than 5 seconds to load and a majority (54%) will give up in 10 seconds or less. If a web page takes more than 20 seconds to load, you will have lost 68% of your audience 4.
52%
of web pages load in 5 secondsor less.
80%
of web pages load in 10 seconds
or less
94%
of web pages load in 20 seconds or less
Mobile Web User Experience: Improving
15 Mobile Analytics Report February 2014
Mobile Video Experience: Still Stalling
Mobile Video Stalling by Network Technology
Mobile Video Stalling:
LTE Network
seconds
15
47
seconds
Mobile Video Stalling:
3G Network
Per 60 seconds of video Per 60 seconds of video
Findings
On LTE networks, mobile videos stall for an average of 15 seconds per 60 seconds of video.
On 3G networks, mobile videos stall for an average of 47 seconds per 60 seconds of video.
The number of stalled videos increases as the resolution of the video being served increases, starting at 10.5% of videos stalled at 240p resolution, rising to 47% for video resolution greater than 720p 5.
Video optimization reduces mobile video stalling by 54%, on average, as measured in the sampled Citrix ByteMobile video optimization deployments.
Commentary
Video stalling is a significant factor in the mobile subscriber experience. Meanwhile, surveys indicate that 57% of subscribers blame the mobile operator when a video stalls 6. It is therefore in the operator’s best interest to manage
subscriber experience by focusing on improving video stalling performance. It may be perceived that the solution to this challenge lies in a faster network, yet, as the data above indicate, fast networks themselves do not guarantee stall-free video viewing. This is a consequence of the fact that stalling can be triggered by multiple factors unrelated to peak network speed. Such factors include cell congestion, radio frequency conditions and subscriber location. Techniques such as video optimization are designed to accommodate these factors and can yield significant improvements in the incidence and duration of video stalling, as exhibited above.
5 Different networks will experience different absolute percentages of stalling by category. 6 Citrix January 2014 survey of 1000 adult smartphone or tablet owners age 18 or older.
17 Mobile Analytics Report February 2014
About Citrix ByteMobile
Citrix ByteMobile® platforms have been deployed in the mobile networks of more than 140 operators worldwide and enable mobile operators to deliver the best possible experience to their subscribers. To learn more, visit www.citrix.com/bytemobile.
About Citrix
Citrix (NASDAQ:CTXS) is a leader in virtualization, networking and cloud infrastructure to enable new ways for people to work better. Citrix solutions help IT and service providers to build, manage and secure, virtual and mobile workspaces that seamlessly deliver apps, desktops, data and services to anyone, on any device, over any network or cloud. This year Citrix is celebrating 25 years of innovation, making IT simpler and people more productive with mobile workstyles. With annual revenue in 2013 of $2.9 billion, Citrix solutions are in use at more than 330,000 organizations and by over 100 million people globally. Learn more at www.citrix.com.
