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In a survey of 1,000 US-based adult consumers conducted by the MMA via Luth Research, nearly 92% of the respondents said that they own a cell phone, and of them, 19 percent stated that they use mobile banking on their phone.  That is almost 1 in every 5 adults who own a cell phone (or more than 1 in every 6 adults overall).  Wow.  And that number is expected to grow to 1 in 4 adults as soon as next year.

As Mobile Marketing Watch points out in their blog covering the survey, the most common form of mobile banking uses a mobile Web browser (11% of respondents), with mobile apps (8%) and SMS banking (5.5%) finishing second and third.  While this was viewed with surprise by the MMW author, I think it makes sense - and more importantly follows a trend I have been noticing among mobile usage.

People seem to be more open to use a mobile web browser as opposed to a mobile app.  I think there are two big reasons for this.  First, consumers are used to using browsers.  We are creatures of habit, and if we are comfortable doing something in a particular way, we tend to gravitate toward similar user experiences.  Second, if given the choice, many people would prefer to view something through a mobile browser instead of downloading something onto their mobile devices.  Perhaps this is a residual effect of problematic desktop applications and poor installation experiences that have dominated the PC world.  Perhaps it is simply a security thing.  Whatever the reason, consumers seem to enjoy the seemingly no-strings-attached experience of the mobile web.

All companies that are interested in extending their mobile presence should take note of this.  The mobile web provides a user experience that less limited by device, and is looking more and more like the best initial offering in the mobile marketplace.