Trending: Tablets in Today’s Mobile World
As one of the most mobile consumers in the United States, Hispanics display enormous mobile spending power. According to the “2012 Hispanic Mobile Consumer Survey,” by Zpryme Research and Consulting, Hispanics are projected to spend $17.6 billion on mobile tech devices this year.1
We are all marching toward the day when we will literally have our lives on one mobile device: a smartphone/tablet/laptop.
Samsung and AT&T have already made great strides toward this device as they have launched a marketing campaign for the new Galaxy Note Tablet/Smartphone earlier this year. The campaign advertises the Galaxy Note as “Smartphone? Tablet? It’s the best of both” (2012 Samsung Galaxy Note). Apple is currently planning to release a smaller iPad to compete with other tablet manufacturers such as Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Inc. and Google.2
Since the iPad hit stores in April, 2010, tablets have settled in as the latest trend in the mobile world. To keep up, smartphones are getting bigger (and are being marketed as tablets). And Laptops, besides being made smaller and lighter, are getting cheaper.
Tablet competition has made huge impacts in the technology market. Before the iPad launched, netbooks stood alone as the inexpensive, conveniently mobile and Wi-Fi accessible devices. But since tablets came around, netbooks have become almost obsolete. Making computers smaller is not enough to keep consumers spending their technology dollars on laptops, so laptop manufacturers are reducing their prices in order to compete with the low prices of tablets.
Why should marketers watch Hispanic Mobile Spending?
A mobile investment is a gateway to the Internet and that means more spending. Almost 70% of Hispanic consumers own laptops, over half own smart phones, and almost 20% own tablets according to Zpryme. While the Hispanic population already stands as an extremely digitally savvy one, the study showed in the next six months, nearly a quarter of Hispanics will invest in a new smartphone, 21% in a new laptop and 18% in a tablet.
Hispanics, through several mobile devices, use the Internet to make purchases. Tablets only increase the spending opportunity; however, marketers will certainly miss Hispanics dollars if they neglect to release Internet campaigns and create apps for their products and brands in the applicable formats.
Until consumers have access to that all-in-one mobile device, smartphone, computer and tablet manufacturers will have to vie to get a cut of the mobile consumer spending share, and also use multiple marketing platforms in order to maximize market exposure. Companies must invest in application development, and application ads to assure their brand will remain relevant with their target market.
“The current technology climate is exciting,” said George L. San Jose, president and chief creative officer of The San Jose Group. “Not only are Hispanics spending billions on mobile devices, but they are utilizing multiple devices for additional app and online purchases.”
Sources:
1. Zpryme Research and Consulting. (2012). 2012 Hispanic Mobile Consumer Trends. Retrieved from http://zpryme.com/hispanic_insights/Hispanic_Mobile_Consumer_Trends_2012_INFOgraphic_Zpryme_Hispanic_Insights.png
2. Wingfield, Nick and Nick Bilton. (2012, July 15). “As Tablet Race Heats Up, Apple May Try Smaller Devices.” The New York Times. Retrieved from http://www.nytimes.com/2012/07/16/technology/apple-may-meet-tablet-competition-with-smaller-ipad.html?pagewanted=all
