"The fact that weather, sports, news and e-mail sites make up the majority of leading mobile sites shows that mobile internet is mainly about functionality and need at the moment, as opposed to the more entertainment and e-commerce-focused make-up of the leading PC-based sites," reports Kent Ferguson, a senior analyst at Nielsen.

The mobile Internet user is also made up of a larger younger audience than PC-based internet, with only 12% aged 55 or older, compared to 23% for PC-based internet population.

Nearly seven and a half million Britons now access the web through their phone. Of this, Ferguson concluded: "The mobile internet audience is becoming more mainstream and is fast becoming a viable way for advertisers and publishers to reach important demographic groups.  
"Growth of 25% between the two quarters this year is significant, and while advertisers and agencies may be reluctant to experiment with the emerging platform in a depressed 2009, I believe it is the right time for forward-thinking clients to be taking risks. Those who put their stake in the ground now can win over the desirable young audience before their competitors get out of the starting blocks."

Source: Media Week