M:Metrics Now Measuring China, the World's Largest Mobile Market

While Nokia Commands Market Share in Emerging Chinese Mobile Media Market, Sony Ericsson Is Driving Content Consumption SEATTLE, WA and LONDON--(Marketwire - February 11, 2008) - M:Metrics, the mobile media authority, today announced the first large-scale study of mobile media consumption in China, the world's largest mobile market. According to M:Metrics' December Benchmark Survey, mobile entertainment is popular among the Chinese, with an astonishing 34.8 percent reporting they listened to mobile music in the month, and 10 percent playing a downloaded mobile game. Percentage of Mobile Subscriber Monthly Consumption of Content and Applications M:Metrics Benchmark Survey: November 2007 US FR DE IT ES UK China Watched video 4.2% 5.0% 2.5% 6.0% 7.7% 5.1% 0.9% Listened to music 5.7% 12.9% 15.0% 13.3% 20.0% 18.9% 34.8% Accessed news/info via browser 12.6% 9.2% 5.2% 7.6% 7.5% 15.5% 6.1% Played downloaded game 9.1% 4.0% 7.6% 8.7% 13.0% 11.0% 10.0% Accessed downloaded application 4.2% 1.3% 2.2% 4.0% 2.5% 3.3% 2.4% Sent/received photos or videos 20.5% 24.3% 21.7% 31.3% 31.7% 29.7% 15.2% Purchased ringtones 9.7% 4.3% 4.2% 4.6% 4.6% 3.7% 4.4% Used email 11.6% 6.7% 6.9% 10.2% 9.0% 9.1% 2.5% Accessed social networking sites 3.6% 1.7% 1.4% 1.9% 2.4% 3.6% 2.2% Source: M:Metrics, Inc., Copyright © 2008. Survey of mobile subscribers. Data based on three-month moving average for period ending 30th November 2007, mobile subscribers in France, n = 12,867 Germany, n = 15,700; Italy, n = 13,107; Spain, n = 12,877; United Kingdom, n = 15,588; United States, n = 33,237, and the cities of Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Shenyang, Chengdu, Wuhan and Xi'an for the three-month average ending 31 December 2007, n = 5,163. The firm also found that while Nokia has a substantial lead in terms of share of handset owners in China, at 30.9 percent, owners of Sony Ericsson handsets are a driving force in the mobile media sector. For example, Sony Ericsson device owners are 1.7 times more likely to send a photo message, and almost twice as likely to browse mobile Internet content compared with the market average. "While 34.8 percent of total mobile subscribers listened to music on their device, nearly 60 percent of Sony Ericsson handset owners consumed mobile music in December," said Seamus McAteer, senior analyst, M:Metrics. "Competing global handset brands such as Motorola, Nokia and Samsung also significantly outperform native brands in terms of being used to consume mobile content. These companies are well positioned in a market where operators are seeking to grow mobile content in preparation for the roll out of 3G networks." Percentage of Mobile Subscriber Monthly Consumption of Content and Applications by OEMM:Metrics Benchmark Survey: December 2007 Market Motorola Nokia Samsung Sony Ericsson LG Any news or info 6.1% 6.0% 6.7% 4.9% 11.8% 3.0% Played downloaded games 10.0% 8.3% 11.9% 5.7% 24.1% 9.5% Sent/received photos or videos 15.2% 13.7% 18.6% 12.2% 26.6% 19.0% Purchased ringtone 4.4% 3.6% 4.7% 5.3% 7.1% 2.9% Listened to mobile music 34.8% 32.4% 36.7% 31.1% 59.6% 41.8% Source: M:Metrics, Inc. Survey of Chinese mobile subscribers in Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Shenyang, Chengdu, Wuhan and Xi'an for the three-month average ending December 2007, n = 5,163. Similar to the European and US markets, 18-34 year-olds are the biggest consumers of mobile content in China, accounting for 64.6 percent of those who accessed news and information via their mobile browser. News is the most popular genre of information accessed on the mobile browser, followed by entertainment information and sports. M:Metrics is the only firm to offer consistent monthly measures of the Chinese market, which are directly comparable to the survey results M:Metrics gathers from France, Germany, Italy, Spain, the United Kingdom and the United States. The firm surveyed 5,163 Chinese mobile subscribers aged 13-54 via telephone in the capitals of Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Shenyang, Chengdu, Wuhan and Xi'an. "China is the most important market for mobile technology in the world, and I'm proud that M:Metrics has the distinction of being the first measurement firm to offer authoritative metrics on this large, growing mobile audience," said McAteer. "We are already seeing pent-up demand for this data among our client base, and will continue to report on this fascinating audience monthly through our MobiLens syndicated data service." About M:Metrics M:Metrics is the mobile media authority. As the only research firm to measure the audience for mobile media, M:Metrics provides the most accurate metrics on actual mobile content consumption by applying trusted media measurement methodologies to the mobile market. M:Metrics' monthly syndicated data service gives clients the critical insights and intelligence required to inform smart business strategies and the competitive benchmarks needed to evaluate the performance of competitors and partners. M:Metrics is a private, venture-funded corporation headquartered in Seattle, with offices in San Francisco and London. Authorized Uses Members of the press may cite research data or a portion of text provided that each is sourced to M:Metrics, for example, "Source: M:Metrics, Inc." or "According to M:Metrics, . . .". Copies of graphs, data tables or slides must include the following copyright notice affixed to all material: "Copyright © 2008, M:Metrics, Inc." Contacts: US Jaimee Minney M:Metrics +1 206.757.1360 (o) jminney@mmetrics.com EU Tina Lorkin M:Metrics +44 7867 860 942 (m) tlorkin@mmetrics.com