Mobile-first doesn't mean mobile only

IT'S hard not to get excited about mobile, especially in Asia. After all, it is common knowledge that Asia is on the forefront of the global shift to mobile. We are the world's first "mobile-first" region, home to millions of people who have leapfrogged desktop to come online for the first time on mobile. Most of the countries in the world where smartphone penetration outpaces personal computers - including Thailand, Singapore and Hong Kong - are in Asia too.

So it's small wonder that the excitement around mobile here in Asia is infectious. Indeed, for many businesses, it's a short leap to conclude that mobile is a better bet than desktop entirely. And among marketers, the number of voices calling for a "mobile only" strategy is growing.

But the data tells a different story. The fact is, mobile first doesn't mean mobile only. While it's true that mobile is booming, the PC continues to play a significant role in the daily lives of consumers across the region. For example, Appier data shows that, unsurprisingly, the number of mobile phones in Asia far surpasses the number of tablets and PCs. However, looking at usage per device type - that is, the total volume of usage coming from mobile phones, tablets, and PCs - it's clear that the PC punches far above its weight. We found that PCs generate 50 per cent more usage than smartphones in terms of volume, despite PCs representing only a fraction of the total unique reachable devices. And each individual PC is used nearly four times as much as each individual smartphone.