The Internet advertisement industry is the next big thing, considering the increased amount of time people spend on their web enabled devices. A recent study conducted by IDC and commissioned by Facebook Inc (NASDAQ:FB) shows that almost 700 million users spend an average 30 minutes on Facebook. Along with the time spent online, Internet enabled devices are also increasing. The Internet used to be limited to computers but now even televisions (Smart TV) and gaming consoles are online. The single biggest impact however has been due to the increase in smartphone penetration.
Competitive Advantage
Smartphones allow users to stay online in every place imaginable and have significantly increased the average time a user spends online. The usage of social media has also greatly increased due to this development. Facebook Inc (NASDAQ:FB) currently has the ability to attract more than a billion consumers every day for a significant amount of time. This fact places Facebook on a clear advantage over rival advertisement companies such as Google Inc (NASDAQ:GOOG). Users of Google visit the website when they need to search something, but they visit Facebook Inc (NASDAQ:FB) regardless of need. Therefore if Facebook is able to provide search and email services, it can create troubles for Google Inc (NASDAQ:GOOG).
Growth Prospects
This ability to attract users can allow Facebook Inc (NASDAQ:FB) to become a leader in a number of different services. The company can provide video services, online market place, exchange services etc. The possibilities for Facebook seem limitless, and the company is definitely headed in the right direction. Mark Zuckerberg was a little late to the smartphone market and initially missed out on the mobile growth.The company has since revamped its mobile strategy, and the recent financial results show that a major portion of revenues now come from mobile.
Facebook Inc (NASDAQ:FB) is already expanding into innovative services like its Facebook Gift and recently launched a search tool that allows users to seek out everything from running trails to restaurants on their Friends Network. The company has free text and video calls, and if it further develops these abilities and specifically targets smartphone users, it can become an alternative to Skype, Viber, and Whatsapp.
Facebook Mobile
The leading software companies of the world are increasingly following the Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) trend and trying to control their own hardware. Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ:MSFT) recently launched its first foray into computer hardware with the new Surface RT and Surface Pro tablets. The software giant is trying to change its focus on PC and adapt itself to the growth in handheld devices.
