According to a new study from TNS Digital Life, the Japanese have the least amount of friends on social networking sites, while Malaysian web users have the most.
Users in Malaysia have an average of 233 friends, followed closely by Brazil at 231. Japanese users only had an average of 29 friends.
Chinese web users, despite heavy use of social networks, had a low average of 68 friends.
In terms of time spent on social networking sites, Malaysians averaged 9 hours per week, with Russian users following at 8.1 hours and Turkish users in third at 7.7 hours per week.
“This study covers more than twice as many markets as any other research,” added Matthew Froggatt, TNS chief development officer. “It is the first truly global research into online activities, including all the key emerging markets… We have also researched beyond basic behavior to provide more detailed data into attitudes and emotional drivers of that behavior.”
You can read the full study here: Global ‘Digital Life’ research project reveals major changes in online behaviour
Result for: emerging markets
The European Commission (EC) has accused six TV and monitor companies of running a cartel in the cathode-ray tube (CRT) market, charging the companies after a two-year long investigation.
The companies in question are Philips, LG Electronics, Chunghwa Picture Tubes, Matsushita, Samsung and Toshiba.
The complaint is that the manufacturers colluded in an effort to keep CRT screen prices artificially high in the midst of falling demand. CRT TVs and monitors have almost completely left the market, at least in western Europe, and the Japanese and North American markets, replaced by thinner LCD sets.
However, the CRT sets are “still widely used in Southern and Eastern Europe, especially for TVs,” as well as “still made for a couple of emerging markets,” says EC spokesperson Jonathan Todd, via CW.
If found guilty, the companies could face giant fines in Europe (up to 10 percent of global annual revenue) and those involved could face criminal trials in the United States alongside fines.
“Action is necessary in order to punish the companies involved for past cartel abuse and to dissuade future cartel activity,” Todd added.
Result for: emerging markets
Nokia Corp., the world’s largest handset maker, has revealed that it will delay the launch of its “Comes With Music,” service in the United States despite previously having planned to launch it soon. The service will now be available in the U.S. sometime during 2010. The service first launched in the UK and then was followed by 9 other countries, showing up in emerging markets.
It’s performance in the UK hasn’t been notable however, but it does seem to do much better in emerging markets. It allows users to download and listen to an unlimited amount of music with their compatible Nokia handset for 12-18 months after buying the unit.
“Comes With Music has been below expectations in developed markets, though Nokia is having more success in emerging markets,” said Mark Mulligan, an analyst with Forrester Research. “In Western Europe and specifically Great Britain, Nokia has been hindered by not having a strong operator route to market.”
Nokia managed to link up with just one network operator in the UK, Orange. Network operators are very important in developed markets due to the subsidies that are offered to the customers to entice them into purchases. Other operators, including Vodafone, have already invested in their own branded music download stores.
