More Android users online during Thanksgiving

Research shows that more Android users were online during Thanksgiving than other OS users

More than a handful of people probably saw someone texting at the table during Thanksgiving dinner two weeks ago.  My family set a rule two years ago that no one is allowed to have their phone at the dinner table—ever.  All phones are confiscated at the door.  But who is more likely to text during Thanksgiving dinner, iPhone users, Android users, or RIM users?  New research conducted by mobile advertising network Mojiva reveals that during the week of Thanksgiving, Android users were the most active on the mobile Web and apps.

The findings were published in Mojiva’s monthly newsletter, the Mullet (yes, as in the hairstyle…I thought it was some kind of regional publication or something until I saw the logo, which is a picture of a mullet.  See below).  What’s particularly interesting about Mojiva’s findings is the fact that typically, iPhone users take the lead in mobile Web and app surfing, and have done so consistently from September through November. 

Even during the month of November as a whole, iPhone users accounted for the largest group of mobile device owners to interact with the Web and apps.  It was exclusively during Thanksgiving week that the numbers switched.  During that week, 37% of mobile device owners were online from their Android devices, while iPhone users accounted for 33% and RIM users made up 18%.  By comparison, in the month of October, iPhone users made up 47% of mobile device users online, while Android users accounted for 30% and RIM users made up 16%. 

This is telling, considering the fact that Android is still behind the iOS and RIM platforms in terms of overall market share. 

“Android users were out in force over the thanksgiving holiday and we saw more of them than anyone else between Black Friday and Cyber Monday, something marketers should consider when planning their mobile campaigns this holiday season,” said Dan Goikhman, Mojiva’s head of business development, via email.  “In the US, it’s a race between iOS and Android users—combined they made up more than 75% of Mojiva network users—globally, the Symbian user base remains strong averaging 25% over the past three months.”

In terms of ad engagement, however, RIM users took the lead with a click-through-rate of 0.75%, while Android and iPhone users came in second with just under 0.55%. 

“The RIM ecosystem is a mature one, but also continues to innovate and we can start to see some interesting growth again. With a loyal customer base that engages in advertising, marketers should certainly think about allocating some holiday dollars that way,” said Goikhman.

Mojiva is a mobile marketing solutions provider that aims to “monetize all mobile content across the globe.”  The company was founded in 2009 and claims to support thousands of advertisers and publishers.