Mobile Consumers Reach for the Clouds

The collision of two powerful trends—mobility and cloud computing—is radically altering the way people live, work, learn, and play. To help SPs better understand the impact of the mobile cloud on consumers, Cisco Internet Business Solutions Group (IBSG) conducted a Mobile Cloud Watch survey of 1,016 U.S. mobile users.

From our findings, one thing is clear—mobile consumers are reaching for the clouds. Highlights from the research include:

· Consumers are already embracing the cloud with more than 50 percent of respondents currently accessing web-based email, updating their social networks, and shopping from their mobile devices.

· Mobile consumers anticipate using even more advanced features over the next one to two years including watching and recording video, video calling, accessing documents, and storing content.

· There is a high level of interest in several next-generation cloud-based services including a virtual desktop interface and a service that would allow users to access personal content stored on their home computers or laptops from their mobile devices.

Fortunately, mobile operators are well positioned benefit from the mobile cloud. On average, respondents rated their level of satisfaction with the overall mobile experience a 7.8 out of 10. By studying the findings and implementing the recommendations described in this paper, SPs can benefit from the mobile cloud by understanding the size of the opportunity, developing strategies for growth, and differentiating their offerings. Note: This is one in a series of papers that evaluate the survey results from four distinct perspectives: overview (this paper), business users, devices, and consumers.

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The Mobile Cloud: When Two Explosive Markets Collide

Mobility and cloud computing are colliding. So, what does this mean for the future of mobility? What types of mobile cloud services do users want most? How can service providers (SPs) enhance their competitive position by delivering cloud and managed services?

While research has been conducted on mobile and cloud computing as separate trends, to date very little data has existed on the impact of mobility and cloud together. To understand this dynamic market better, Cisco Internet Business Solutions Group (IBSG) surveyed 1,016 U.S. mobile users to understand their current and future needs with regard to the mobile cloud.

Findings from the research may surprise you. For example:

·        Cloud-delivered services (e.g., storing, sharing, conferencing) are expected to explode in the near future. In fact, 70 percent of all mobile users expect to consume these capabilities in the next one to two years.

·        Mobile users want more than just mobile access to wired cloud services. Ideally, they would like to exploit the cloud to experience new services that combine the unique capabilities of their mobile devices with the benefits of mobility.

·        Business users are already much bigger users of PC-based cloud services—for example, photo and video sharing, file storing, and web conferencing—than consumers. Business users’ familiarity with the value of PC-based cloud services will make them key adopters of similar and next-generation services over the cloud.

Mobile operators are well positioned to benefit from the mobile cloud. On average, respondents rated their level of satisfaction with the overall mobile experience a 7.8 out of 10. By studying the findings and implementing the recommendations described in this paper, SPs can benefit from the mobile cloud by understanding the size of the opportunity, developing strategies for growth, and differentiating their offerings.

Note: This is one in a series of papers that evaluate the survey results from four distinct perspectives: overview (this paper), business users, devices, and consumers.

 Download the Paper