Data services' take-up lacklustre - even in Asia-Pac

Say 'data' and most users still think 'texting'

Even some of the most mobile-savvy markets in the world are shunning mobile data services, analysts have found.

New research by IDC has discovered that non-SMS data services in the Asia-Pacific region are used by less than 10 per cent of consumers.

The study, which examined mobile phone usage in Australia, China, Hong Kong, Malaysia, Singapore, South Korea and Taiwan, found text messaging remains the most popular data service, with 65 per cent of people sending texts on a daily basis.

Among other data services, sending MMS and using mobile IM were some of the more popular ones.

However, the outlook for data services may not be altogether gloomy. With 'smart' devices making up just five per cent of mobiles in the region covered by the study, IDC predicts content services will start to take off when advanced mobiles become more mainstream.