Are We There Yet? Comscore M:Metrics Reports Mobile Map Use Grows 82 Percent in United States, 49 Percent in Europe

As families hit the road this summer, more will be turning to the mobile device for turn-by-turn directions

Mobile map usage growing much faster than online map usage

Reston, VA, July 24, 2008 -- Comscore, Inc. (NASDAQ: SCOR), a leader in measuring the digital world, today reported that the use of mobile maps is increasingly popular in the United States and Europe, with 8 percent of American mobile subscribers and 3 percent of European subscribers accessing maps from the mobile phone in the three-month period ending May 2008. This represents a growth rate of 82 percent and 49 percent in the number of users, respectively. According to the Comscore M:Metrics Benchmark Study, the iPhone is the leading device used to access maps in the United States, and in Europe, the device trails the Nokia N95 and N70.

Map Access via Mobile Device
Three-month average ending May 2007 and May 2008
United States and Western Europe
Source: Comscore M:Metrics

Users (000s)

% of Mobile Subscribers

Country

May-07

May-08

Change

May-07

May-08

France

907

1,265

40%

2.0%

2.7%

Germany

663

963

45%

1.4%

2.0%

Italy

1,595

2,142

34%

3.5%

4.6%

Spain

702

1,080

54%

2.2%

3.2%

United Kingdom

1,247

2,147

72%

2.8%

4.5%

Europe*

5,114

7,597

49%

2.4%

3.4%

United States

9,280

16,871

82%

4.4%

7.5%

*Includes top five countries listed.

“The mobile phone as a personal navigation device makes tremendous sense,” observed Mark Donovan, senior analyst, Comscore. “With the influx of devices, such as the iPhone with GPS, entering the market, Nokia’s purchase of NAVTEQ and the growing popularity of downloadable navigation applications, you don’t need a map to see where this sector is going.”

According to Comscore, 73 percent of mobile subscribers accessing maps are doing so via the browser in the U.S., and in Europe, 57 percent. Less than a third of Americans and Europeans are using a downloaded application, which allows even feature phones, with less computing power and often smaller screens, to better render graphic-rich maps and directions. Despite the ubiquity of SMS usage in Europe, the penetration of consumers accessing maps and directions via SMS is 24 percent; only one percentage point higher than it is in the United States.

The vast majority of mobile map users are seeking driving directions, even in Europe, where public transportation and non-vehicular options are more popular.

Mode of Transport Intended to be Used when Accessing Maps
Three-month average ending May 2007 and May 2008
United States and Western Europe
Source: Comscore M:Metrics

France

Germany

Italy

Spain

UK

US

% Penetration of Activity

Driving or riding in car

79.9%

62.4%

77.3%

63.9%

57.9%

85.7%

Using public transit

18.6%

30.0%

15.1%

26.1%

30.2%

14.9%

Walking, running or biking

21.5%

31.2%

19.4%

22.1%

41.0%

14.6%

While mobile access to maps has surged, online access to maps using the PC shows more modest gains in the United States and Western Europe. In the United Kingdom, which posted the highest growth in mobile access to maps at 72 percent, online access via the PC dipped from 45 percent penetration in May 2007 to 41 percent in May 2008. In the U.S., the increase in the number of users accessing maps from a mobile device far outpaced the increase in the number of people who accessed maps via the PC.

Map Access via PC
May 2007 and May 2008
United States and Western Europe
Source: Comscore MMX

Unique Visitors (000s)

% of Online Population

Country

May-07

May-08

Change

May-07

May-08

United States

70,471

72,327

3%

44.9

44.2

United Kingdom

14,215

14,027

-1%

45.1

40.7

Germany

11,597

12,188

5%

35.4

35.1

France

10,510

11,622

11%

40.9

37.4

Spain

5,245

5,645

8%

37.7

35.4

Italy

4,718

5,436

15%

26.2

28.3

About Comscore
Comscore, Inc. (NASDAQ: SCOR) is a global leader in measuring the digital world. This capability is based on a massive, global cross-section of approximately 2 million Internet users who have given Comscore permission to confidentially capture their browsing and transaction behavior, including online and offline purchasing. Comscore panelists also participate in survey research that gathers and integrates their attitudes and intentions. Using its proprietary technology, Comscore measures what matters across a broad spectrum of digital behavior and attitudes and helps clients design more powerful marketing strategies that deliver superior ROI. With its recent acquisition of M:Metrics, Comscore is also a leading source of data on mobile usage. In an independent survey of 800 of the nation’s most influential publishers, advertising agencies and advertisers conducted by William Blair & Company in July 2008, Comscore was rated the ‘most preferred online audience measurement service’ by 54% of respondents, a full 20 points ahead of its nearest competitor. Comscore services are used by more than 950 clients, including global leaders such as AOL, Microsoft, Yahoo!, BBC, Carat, Cyworld, Deutsche Bank, France Telecom, Best Buy, The Newspaper Association of America, Financial Times, ESPN, Fox Sports, Nestlé, Starcom, Universal McCann, the United States Postal Service, the University of Chicago, Verizon Services Group and ViaMichelin. For more information, please visit www.comscore.com.

About M:Metrics
Acquired by Comscore, Inc. in May 2008, M:Metrics is an authoritative source of data on mobile usage. Using its proprietary on-device metering technology and one of the world's largest monthly surveys of mobile users, M:Metrics provides data on actual mobile content consumption by applying trusted media measurement methodologies to the mobile market. M:Metrics' monthly syndicated data service gives clients the critical insights and intelligence used to inform smart business strategies and the competitive benchmarks needed to evaluate the performance of competitors and partners. M:Metrics services are used by more than 180 clients, including global leaders in the mobile, advertising, technology and consumer goods industries such as Verizon, Vodafone, Microsoft, RIM, FOX, CBS, BBC, BMW, Samsung, Palm, Qualcomm, Ericsson, O&M, and JWT. For more information, please visit www.mmetrics.com.

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