Post on 21-Apr-2017
59 years of military dictatorship and being cut off from the outside world turned a former economic
success into the backwater of Asia.
In 2011 Myanmar opened up to the world again. Media and internet censorship was largely
removed and mobile ownership started to climb.
Taking advantage of the growing mobile ownership On Device Research surveyed 577 mobile internet
users in Myanmar for the first time ever.
* Cuba and North Korea are the only remaining countries where research via mobile is not possible.
The Final Frontier?*
Photo: Christopher Michel
Myanmar in numbers, 2014
g 53 million! 33% : 67%!
10%!1%!w!
Population Urban vs rural population
Internet penetration Mobile penetration
O NA!
Mobile internet penetration
Source: Asian Development Bank, 2012, UN Data, 2012, Internet World Stats, 2012
Newcomers are flocking online Plummeting device prices, cheaper SIM cards and data packages double the mobile internet population in the last 12 months Q. When did you first use a phone to go online?
28%
22%
30%
20%
1-5 months ago 6-12 months ago Over a year ago More than 2 years ago
50% combined
Source: On Device Research, June 2014 n=577 mobile internet users in Myanmar
A mobile-only nation Nearly half of the respondents use internet only on their mobile. Improving networks, decreasing device and data prices mean that majority of population will leapfrog PCs. Q. How often do use internet on a PC or laptop?
29%
9% 9% 4%
49%
Daily Weekly Few times a month Less than once a month
I do not use internet on a PC or laptop
Mobile-only internet users
Source: On Device Research, June 2014 n=577 mobile internet users in Myanmar
Internet beats other media Nearly three quarters use internet on their mobile daily!
72%
15% 12%
2%
61%
18% 18%
3%
50%
19% 25%
6%
27%
17%
36%
20%
Daily Once a week/several times a week
Several times a month or less frequently
Never
Mobile Internet
Television
Newspaper
Radio
Source: On Device Research, June 2014 n=577 mobile internet users in Myanmar
Mobile-only nation Nearly half use internet only on their mobile. Will Myanmar almost completely leapfrog the PC? Q. How often do use internet on a PC or laptop?
Mobile internet is changing lives Q. In which ways has internet on your phone changed your life?
18%
23%
27%
27%
40%
42%
Easier to meet people from around the world
Improved access to entertainment
Better access to information online
Faster and easier communication
Easier to follow the news
Easier to keep in touch with friends and family
Source: On Device Research, June 2014. Photo: Brian Holsclaw n=577 mobile internet users in Myanmar
Young men dominate Echoing other emerging markets - mobile internet users are mainly young men, only 29% are women
fffffffkkk!16-24 38%
25-34 36%
35-44 16%
45+ 10%
16-‐24 25-‐34 35-‐44 45+
Average for South-East Asia: 63% men, 37% women
Source: On Device Research, June 2014 n=577 mobile internet users in Myanmar
Huawei’s utter dominance One brand dominating the handset market in such a way is unheard of in South-East Asia or elsewhere…
71% 14% + dozens of other brands with 1% market share or less among the mobile internet users
Source: On Device Research, June 2014 n=1500 mobile internet users in Myanmar
Android nation We knew there wouldn’t be many iPhone owners in Myanmar but lack of feature phone users was a complete surprise
0.5%
1%
3.5%
95%
Symbian, Blackberry, Windows
iPhone + iPad
Other (feature phones)
Android
India 21% Vietnam 24%
Indonesia 26% Malaysia 40% Thailand 44%
Starting from a clean sheet in 2011, lack of legacy handsets and plummeting Android prices have all contributed to this anomaly.
Source: On Device Research, June 2014 n=5000 mobile internet users in Myanmar
63% 58%
32%
18% 15%
12% 6% 5%
9%
Huawei Samsung Apple Nokia Sony HTC LG Lenovo Other
Favourite mobile brands Apple might be #3 in popularity but average income means few will be able to afford it Q. What are your favourite mobile brands? Select up to 3.
Significantly more women prefer Samsung (69% vs 53%)
Source: On Device Research, June 2014 n=577 mobile internet users in Myanmar
Monopoly for Viber Usual market leaders like WhatsApp are struggling with traction Q. Which of the following chat apps do you use?
79%
27%
11% 10% 8% 5% 4% 10%
Viber Facebook Messenger
Skype WeChat Other WhatsApp Line I don't use chat apps
Source: On Device Research, June 2014 n=577 mobile internet users in Myanmar
Over half use Facebook Twitter, Instagram and other popular Western services remain below the 5% threshold Q. Which of the following social networks do you use?
58%
31%
19% 12%
16%
Facebook Youtube Google+ Other Don't use social networks
Surprisingly local mobile social network MySquar wasn’t popular either
Source: On Device Research, June 2014 n=577 mobile internet users in Myanmar
Search is the most popular activity Q. What do you use the internet on your phone for?
14%
17%
19%
21%
21%
33%
41%
Sports news
Listening to music
Social networking
Watching videos
World & local news
Searching
Source: On Device Research, June 2014 n=577 mobile internet users in Myanmar
55% live on $155 or less a month Q. What’s your monthly income?
26% 29%
10%
14%
21%
Less than 100,000 kyat
100,000-150,000 kyat per month
151,000-200,000 kyat per month
200,000 or more Prefer not to answer
100,000 kyat = $102
Source: On Device Research, June 2014 n=577 mobile internet users in Myanmar
Nearly half have bachelors degree Q. What’s your level of education?
1%
27%
41%
7% 7%
17%
Primary school Secondary / High school
Bachelors degree
Other qualification
None Prefer not to answer
Source: On Device Research, June 2014 n=577 mobile internet users in Myanmar
The Myanmar project was incredibly exciting - there
was zero information about mobile internet users
and usage so far. This is exactly why I started On
Device Research in the first place!
Mobile will explode in the next couple of years
making it the fastest and most cost effective way to
reach and understand Burmese people.
Alistair Hill, CEO On Device Research
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? Contact siim@ondeviceresearch.com