Ericsson said that mobile apps rank alongside better or faster internet access as the main reasons to buy a smartphone for customers in key emerging markets, following research from its ConsumerLab unit.

Based on a survey into the high-growth markets of Russia, India and Brazil, it was noted that new smartphone users embrace apps at the same pace as mature users. Some 69 percent of those polled accessed the internet using apps on a daily basis, with 20 percent using “data-intensive” services such as video, TV, maps or navigation daily.

Ericsson said that there are some differences when compared with mature markets: two out of five users rarely or never visit an official app marketplace, and instead download apps from third-party sites and forums. Around half have downloaded apps to a PC first and then transferred to a device, to save on data consumption.

In addition, there were differences across the three emerging regions. Users in India are more interested in personalisation apps; owners in Russia use “apps that benefit the flow of their everyday lives;” and subscribers in Brazil use apps that enhance their social interactions.

Jasmeet Singh Sethi, senior specialist with Ericsson ConsumerLab, said: “Apps are no longer only for early adopters. Although mature users use their apps more frequently than new users of smartphones, we see a general evolution toward new users purchasing increasingly specialised apps, such as those for dating services and price comparison, from the moment they get their smartphones.”

The poll surveyed 1,200 users in Russia and Brazil and 5,000 in India using various methods.