Kids and their mobiles

Market penetration

The survey was based on a total sample of some 20,000 kids in France, Germany, Italy, Holland, Sweden, UK and USA. Overall 50% of kids aged between 6 and 24 owned a mobile. Mobile ownership was higher amongst girls of all ages. Ownership rates baselined at 10% amongst boys of 6 or younger, 16% amongst girls of the same age group, and rose steadily as age increased to three quarters of all kids aged 15 or above.

Mobiles and safety

A majority of kids (78%) agreed that mobiles make them feel safer and there was no real difference on this view between girls and boys. The pattern of response followed the exact same pattern of mobile ownership i.e. in countries where mobile ownership is higher, such as Sweden and Germany, the kids who have mobiles are more likely to say it makes them feel safer. Possibly this indicates that the concern for safety is greater in these countries - and is a factor there in determining whether or not to own a mobile phone. This view about safety peaks at ages between 10 to 14 years in all countries in the TNS survey.

Calling and texting

Calling parents (70%) and friends or 'mates' (67 %) are the most common things for kids to do with their mobiles. Interestingly, text messaging friends is almost as popular as calling them (65%). Text messaging parents (41%) is not uncommon, but far less popular than texting friends. Girls text more than boys. In fact, amongst girls texting friends is the single most frequent use for their mobiles (72%). As might be expected the tendency to call and text friends increases with age, and is much higher amongst kids aged 10 and above than younger kids. Kids aged between 7 to 9 years are the most likely to use their mobile to call their parents (67%) than any other use.

Differences between countries

Texting friends is popular with kids all over Europe, but much less so in the USA. The average in Europe is 70%. And in the UK and Germany, texting is actually more common than calling friends. Texting friends is overall most popular in the UK ; 86% of girls, 71% of boys. In the USA, only 36% text friends ; 60% call them.

High tech kids in the USA

Although fewer kids in the USA have mobile phones, they are more likely to use high tech features. Our overall impression of this market from the study is one of a technology savy and privileged minority of kids owning mobiles in the USA in contrast to a more mass market profile in Europe, where the number of kids adopting high tech mobile applications may be restricted by the price.

Ring tone downloads are popular everywhere (37%). However, 41% of kids owning mobiles in the USA download games, which is far higher than anywhere in Europe; the UK is next with 26%.

34% of American kids use their phone to take photos. In Europe this is most common currently in Italy (22%), and is relatively low elsewhere (13% in Sweden, and 14% in Holland).