Messenger Wars 2 How Facebook climbed back to #1 Source: Max Morse for TechCrunch, 2013 https://www.flickr.com/photos/techcrunch/9728625374/in/photolist-
Jul 14, 2015
Messenger Wars 2How Facebook climbed back to #1
Source: Max Morse for TechCrunch, 2013https://www.flickr.com/photos/techcrunch/9728625374/in/photolist-
Since our hugely popular Messenger Wars: How Facebook lost its lead report in 2013 (240k views)
Facebook has regained its lead, grown in size and diversified.
Messenger wars in Developed MarketsA survey of 2,500 Android and iOS smartphone owners in the US, UK, Germany, Japan and China, carried out by mobile market research company On Device Research.
Top social messaging apps on smartphones Research data from the US, UK, Germany, Japan and China shows that
Facebook Messenger is the top messaging app in US and UK
UKChina
JapanUS
Germany
84%WeChat
75%Line
77%WhatsApp
60%Facebook
Messenger
63%Facebook
Messenger
Source: On Device Research, Jan 2015N=2500 , US, UK, Germany, Japan and China smartphone owners
Facebook has regained its position
as the leader of social messaging
apps for our 5 marketsQ: Which social messaging app do you use at least once a week?
31%
24%
18%
15%14%
12% 12%
Messenger
WhatsApp Line WeChat QQ Twitter Skype
Source: On Device Research, Jan 2015N=2500 , US, UK, Germany, Japan and China smartphone owners
Rhiannon Williamstelegraph.co.uk
Feb 2014Facebook buys WhatsApp for $19 billion
Aug 2014Facebook removes Messenger
and creates separate app
Facebook diversifies its portfolioAcquiring Instagram in April 2012 was only the beginning
of Facebook’s takeover of social media and messaging
Separating Messenger has given Facebook a
significant lead in the USQ: Which social messaging app do you use at least once a week? (by age group)
52%
58%
47%
56% 55%
16-24 25-34 35-44 45-55 Over 55
Facebook Messenger Kik Line Skype Snapchat Twitter Viber WhatsApp WeChat
Facebook Messenger…
all the other apps!
Source: On Device Research, Jan 2015N=500 ,US smartphone owners
WhatsApp has
declinedfrom 2nd to 4th in the US
Source: On Device Research, Jan 2015N=500 ,US smartphone owners
8% of Americans use WhatsApp weekly.
In 2013, it was 35%.
Source: On Device Research, Jan 2015N=500 , US smartphone owners
Growth of ‘alternative’ messengers15% use Snapchat weekly and it is the 2nd
most used social messenger in the USQ: Which social messaging app do you use at least once a week?
Since our last report in 2013,
Snapchat has grown from 30m to
200m users.
Snapchat has also grown by 12%pt
for 16-24 year olds since 2013.
16-24
32%
25-34
9%
35+
3%
Snapchat in the US
Source: On Device Research, Jan 2015, Business Insider Jan 2015N=500 , US smartphone owners
Snapchat
56%
Facebook Messenger
52% Line44%
33%
Kik40%
GlobalWebIndex reports Snapchat is also the
fastest growing social messenger app globallySocial and messaging apps growth in the last six months
Source: GlobalWebIndex Q4 2014N=170,000, 32 markets
and Facebook is in close 2nd!
Despite Facebook’s global dominance, local apps prevail in Japan and ChinaQ: Which social messaging app do you use at least once a week?
US
53%
US
5%US
2%
CH
3%
CH
4%
CH
70%
JP
10%
JP
74%
JP
2%
UK
53%
UK
3%UK
1%
DE
36%
DE
2%
DE
1%
Facebook Messenger Line WeChat
Source: On Device Research, Jan 2015N=2500 , US, UK, Germany, Japan and China smartphone owners
52% 52%
46%43%
63%
57%
36%31%
46% 45%
29% 28%
12%16%
13%
7% 9%
15%18%
21% 21%16% 16% 18%
Global US China Japan UK Germany
Different friends use different apps Because of different features
It used to be free, it's not anymore One for people I don't know well, other for friends/family
Why do people use different apps?Network effect is still number one reason overall, but for Japan & China – it’s because of different features
Source: On Device Research, Jan 2015N=2500 , US, UK, Germany, Japan and China smartphone owners
China wants video messaging, calls, and stickersQ: How important are the following features in messaging apps to you?
China values video messaging and video calls more than any other country.
They also care significantly more about stickers!
Source: On Device Research, Jan 2015N=1000 , Japan and China smartphone owners
Japan most values ease of use and the ability to send photos.
The biggest reason why they are not using a certain app is because they feel ‘it’s missing a feature I require’.
The US thinks it’s vital to be able to call through amessenger app.
All countries value ease of use and the ability to send photos.
Westerners desire greater security from appsQ: How important are the following features in messaging apps to you?
Security is the most important feature overall for the US, UK, and Germany– with an average 79% of respondents rating it most highly.
Source: On Device Research, Jan 2015N=1500 , US, UK, and German smartphone owners
Source: cnet.com Apr 2014, Business Insider May 2013, pcworld.com Oct 2013
.
2.2
2.3
2.3
2.8
3 China
UK
Germany
USA
Japan
Source: On Device Research, Jan 2015N=2500 , US, UK, Germany, Japan and China smartphone owners
Average
number of
messaging
apps installed
3.0
2.3
2.4
2.1
China
US
2013 2015
Both China and US have seen an increase in average number of messaging apps per personAverage number of messaging apps installed
Source: On Device Research, Jan 2015N=1000 , US and China smartphone owners
Contrasting communication patterns in AsiaChina prefers voice call and SMS, Japan favours emailQ: How often do you use these ways of staying in touch on your phone?
Source: On Device Research, Jan 2015N=1000, Japan and China smartphone owners
Per country charts can be found in the annex at the end of the presentation.
45%37% 35%
47%
Social messaging apps Voice calls SMS Email
Daily
51%
61%53%
24%
Social messaging apps Voice calls SMS Email
Daily
Skype is comfortably #1 for videoSkype’s global popularity is well known. Our
research shows that Skype is enjoying the top spot
among our 5 countries researched, with decent market
share even in Line-dominated Japan. Skype calls 300
million people users of its app.
45% 47% 49%
21% 21%
US UK Germany China Japan
% of smartphone owners using weekly
Source: On Device Research, Jan 2015N=2500 , US, UK, Germany, Japan and China smartphone owners
‘Social media is pretty much dead’ and social messaging will take over
– Fred Wilson, Venture Capitalist (Twitter, Tumblr, Foursquare)
Source: Business Insider, Dec 2014.
Rohit DadwalCampaign AsiaFeb 2015
50 billion messages a dayShared via 6 services in 2014
iMessage, Facebook Messenger, WhatsApp, Snapchat, BBM and WeChatSource: Deloitte 2014https://www2.deloitte.com/content/dam/Deloitte/au/Documents/technology-media-telecommunications/deloitte-au-tmt-short-messaging-services-versus-instant-messaging-011014.pdf
= double the volume of SMS that were sent!
Undefeated champion for communicationSocial messaging is most popular way to stay in touch in
developed markets.Q: How often do you use these ways of staying in touch on your phone?
% o
f re
spo
nd
en
ts
34%
18%
24%
15%
22%
29%
23% 21%
8%
14%9%
13%
64%60%
55%
49%
Social Messaging Voice calls SMS Email
Average of 5 countries
10+ times a day 2-3 times/day Once a day At least once/day combined
Source: On Device Research, Jan 2015N=2500 , US, UK, Germany, Japan and China smartphone owners
On Device Research uses the mobile
internet to gain access to consumer
opinions at any time, place or country.
Want Excel tables
with the survey data?
Get in touch!
We have undertaken projects in
79 countries
Over 25 million people have
taken one of our surveys on
their mobile
ondeviceresearch.com
Follow us:
For more info:
Poh Lin Carter-Lau
@pohlinlau
Appendix
Source: On Device Research, November 2013N=1406 in the US, n=544 in China, smartphone owners
US and UK most similar for communicationQ: How often do you use these ways of staying in touch on your phone?
33%
18%
37%
22%
70%63% 65% 63%
Social messaging apps Voice calls SMS EmailMore than 10 times a day Daily
40%
22%
42%
18%
74% 66% 75%58%
Social messaging apps Voice calls SMS Email
More than 10 times a day Daily
Contrasting communication patterns in AsiaChina prefers voice call and SMS, Japan favours emailQ: How often do you use these ways of staying in touch on your phone?
Source: On Device Research, Jan 2015N=1000, Japan and China smartphone owners
Per country charts can be found in the annex at the end of the presentation.
23%5% 11% 13%
45%37% 35%
47%
Social messaging apps Voice calls SMS Email
More than 10 times a day Daily
23% 24%15%
7%
51%61%
53%
24%
Social messaging apps Voice calls SMS Email
More than 10 times a day Daily
Q: How often do you use these ways of staying in touch on your phone?
81% of Germans use social messaging apps daily
Source: On Device Research, Jan 2015N=500 , Germany smartphone owners
Germans are Super Social Messengers
54% use it at least 10x daily!
Germans use social messaging almost twice as much as Japanese respondentsQ: How often do you use these ways of staying in touch on your phone? (Social messaging)
52%
40%
33%
23% 23%
81%74%
70%
51%45%
Germany UK USA China Japan
More than 10 times a day Daily
Source: On Device Research, Jan 2015N=2500 , US, UK, Germany, Japan and China smartphone owners
All ages in China are active social
messenger users
2.1
3.2 3.12.8
2.42.6
2.9 3.0
2.3 2.22.0
2.5
2.9
1.72.0
1.8
2.3
3.0
1.82.1
Japan UK China USA Germany
16-24 25-34 35-44 45+
3
4
2
1
Source: On Device Research, Jan 2015N=2500 , US, UK, Germany, Japan and China smartphone owners
Top 3 social messaging apps on smartphones Research data from the US, UK, Germany, Japan and China
60%
29% 25%
Messenger
Skype Twitter
75%
42%25%
Line Twitter Facebook
Messenger
84% 83%
50%
Wechat QQ Sina Weibo
77%
49%30%
Whatsapp Facebook
Messenger
Skype
63%46%
36%
Messenger
Whatsapp Skype
UK China
JapanUS
Germany
Source: On Device Research, Jan 2015N=2500 , US, UK, Germany, Japan and China smartphone owners
Top 3 video call apps on smartphones Research data from the US, UK, Germany, Japan and China (excluding WeChat and QQ)
45%
29%21%
Skype Facetime Google
Hangouts
60%
21% 21%
Line Skype Facetime
33%
22% 21%
Facetime Line Skype
49%
20% 16%
Skype Facetime Google
Hangouts
47%38%
14%
Skype Facetime Viber
UK China
JapanUS
Germany
Source: On Device Research, Jan 2015N=2500 , US, UK, Germany, Japan and China smartphone owners
In China and UK, nearly half use WhatsApp more than 6 months agoQ: Compared to 6 months ago, do you use WhatsApp…
40%
39%
22%
About the same More Less
46% 46%
35% 35%32%
China UK US Japan Germany
Use WhatsApp more than 6 months ago
Source: On Device Research, Jan 2015N=2500 , US, UK, Germany, Japan and China smartphone owners
Facebook Messenger is leading growth for Facebook portfolio
Source: comScore via quartz.com
58%
52%52%
36%
Global 2013 Global 2015
Different friends use different apps Because of different features
Different features will no longer drive use of
multiple messenger apps. Q: Why do you use different messaging apps?
Source: On Device Research, Jan 2015N=2500 , US, UK, Germany, Japan and China smartphone owners
In the US, respondents say that ‘not having enough space on their phone’ is the number one reason why they’re not using a messenger app
With paying upfront for handset is common practice in the US many opt for lowest (and therefore cheapest) storage capacity available –often 16GB with no expandable memory.
Source: On Device Research, Jan 2015, Which 2014N=500 , US smartphone owners
Low storage capacity = less apps installedQ: Why are you not using these messaging apps (one want to use but are currently not using)?