Appier sees more pronounced cross-screen usage in Japan

TOKYO - Japan leads Asia in terms of multi-device usage, with the number of people using more than four screens up 30 percent on the second half of 2015, according to new research by Appier, a Taiwan-based AI services company.

51 percent of Japanese multi-device users regularly engage with four or more screens, up from 39 percent. nearly three quarters (73 percent) interact with a minimum of three screens. Appier’s research also found that people who interact “completely differently” with online ads depending on the screen they view them on increased by nearly 50 percent.

As in previous reports, Appier makes clear that PC usage remains high despite the large number of smartphones in Japan. Both devices generate around the same volume of usage. Individual tablets, meanwhile, generate 17 percent more web usage than individual smartphones.

Japanese women are again shown to use PCs 20 percent more than men for web browsing, which is the reverse situation to elsewhere in Asia. Women are also 10 percent more active in using tablets, while men are more active in app and smartphone use. Based on these findings, Appier’s chief revenue officer, Fabrizio Caruso, said that companies need to consider different formats carefully when trying to get their message across.

The report suggests that campaigns that take into account cross-screen behaviour are likely to be considerably more effective than campaigns that focus on a single screen. Appier therefore advises against the increasing trend of betting everything on mobile.

At the same time, mobile is shown to be critically important when it comes to ecommerce. Based on activity measured by day of week and time of day, smartphones account for the highest number of pageviews, conversions and purchases, but tablets draw the highest number of pageviews per unique user.

This article first appeared on Campaign Japan: 日本では複数デバイスの利用者が顕著に増加：Appier調べ