Italy

Key mobile trends

In 2012 4.9 million youth will switch accounts in Italy causing operators to lose around $1.3 billion. The key to increasing the bottom line is not in acquiring new subscribers but in reducing churn. Mobile apps and services such as mobile money driven by mobile internet will be the key to growth on the country’s youth mobile market. Among handset brands, Apple’s iPhone dominates youth wishlist. However, there are pockets of supporters for BlackBerry and even Nokia among youth in Italy.

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Implications

Handset and service purchase decisions are driven by social factors such as word-of-mouth recommendations from friends. Mobile brands need to identify what factors influence youth in Italy. Marketing and innovation need to be driven by grassroot efforts that begin with insights from the youth market and end up with engagement programs or co-creation ventures. For actionable insights into youth mobile culture in Italy, contact mobileYouth 2012 Report.