The Evolution of Mobile Media Research
2.6 Results
General Trends in the Evolving Mobile Media Studies on Asia
The fi rst research question addressed the trends and research focus in Asian mobile media research (e.g., output, authors, journals and countries studied the most) in the past 16 years divided by the advent of smartphones in 2007. As Fig. 2.2 shows, the number of published articles on mobile media in Asia doubled between 2000 and 2007. Moreover, the total tripled to more than 20 between 2008 and 2014. The num- ber of studies kept pace in 2015, the most recent year available but not yet complete at the time of this study (see Fig. 2.2 ).
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Specifi cally, the total of journal articles published between 2000 and 2007 was 17 (18.5 %; see Table 2.1 ), which increased to 75 (81.5 %) between 2008 and 2015.
These results indicated the increase in the scholarly output was largely attributed to the popularity of smartphones in Asian countries (chi square = 92, df = 13, p < .001).
As shown in Table 2.2 , the top four journals that published mobile media in Asia
0
2000 2001 2003 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 5
10 15 20
Fig. 2.2 Number of journal articles on mobile media studies in Asia, 2000–2015 (Note: 2015 total is only through October)
Table 2.1 Trends in the number of articles by pre- smartphone and post-smartphone era
Years Pre-smartphone % Years Smartphone era %
2000 1 5.9 2008 7 9.3 %
2001 1 5.9 2009 1 1.3
2002 0 0.0 2010 8 10.7
2004 2 11.8 2011 8 10.7
2005 2 11.8 2012 8 10.7
2006 7 41.2 2013 9 12.0
2007 4 23.5 2014 20 26.7
2015 a 14 18.7
Total 17 100 % 75 100 %
Notes: a 2015 only through October. Chi-square = 92 (df = 13), p < .001
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were New Media & Society (24 articles), Telematics and Informatics (21 articles), Asian Journal of Communication (11) and Mobile Media & Communication (8). All of the journals increased their published articles in the smartphone era, but the above four journals led the trend (chi square = 15.63, df = 9, non-signifi cant).
As for which countries were studied the most, as results in Table 2.3 show, with 18 articles in total (15 of them during the “smartphone era”), China was the most prominent among Asian countries. South Korea was the second with a total of 16 articles, followed by India (7), Hong Kong (6), and Japan (6). Nine of the articles examined more than one country. Taken together, among the 92 articles, 70 % focused on East Asia —China, Hong Kong , Japan , South Korea, and Taiwan —while 30 % were concerned with other Asian countries such as Singapore , Indonesia , Malaysia and the Philippines . The uneven pattern did not change across time (chi square = 20.92, df = 12, non-signifi cant). This East-Asia-biased pattern in scholarly output concerning mobile media is consistent with previous analyses of Asian com- munication research in general (Kuo 2010 ).
Regarding research focus in the 92 Asian mobile media articles, it was clear (see Table 2.4) that early studies focused on 2G and 3G mobile technologies, but later
Table 2.2 Trends in journals publishing articles on mobile media in Asia, 2000–2015 Sources
Pre-smartphone 2000–2007
Smartphone era
2008–2015 Total
Journal of Communication 1 1 2
1.1 % 1.1 % 2.2 %
Journ. & Mass Communication Quarterly
2 1 3
2.2 % 1.1 % 3.3 %
J. of Computer-Mediated Communication
0 3 3
0 % 3.3 % 3.3 %
Mobile Media & Communication 0 8 8
0 % 8.7 % 8.7 %
Asian Journal of Communication 1 10 11
1.1 % 10.9 % 12.0 %
Information, Communication &
Society
1 2 3
1.1 % 2.2 % 3.3 %
New Media & Society 8 16 24
8.7 % 17.4 % 26.1 %
Telematics and Informatics 3 18 21
3.3 % 19.6 % 22.8 %
Cyberpsychology , Behavior & Social Networking
1 6 7
1.1 % 6.5 % 7.6 %
Other journals 0 10 10
0 % 10.9 % 10.9 %
Total 17 75 92
18.5 % 81.5 % 100.0 %
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studies were concerned with 3G/ 4G technologies (chi square = 9.39, df = 3, p < .05).
However, most articles (94.7 %) addressed mobile telephony in general, which was the case across the two periods.
Table 2.5 shows the types of mobile services most studied between 2000 and 2015 in the 92 articles on Asian mobile media. Research during the pre-smartphone era largely focused on adoption , access and subscriptions to the mobile phone, a result consistent with Donner’s ( 2008 ) review. The focus endured with researchers after 2008 (34.7 %). However, there were sharp increases in studies about social media (30.7 %), short message services and mobile news (22.8 %) in the smart- phone era (chi square = 13.98, df = 7, p < .10). Focus on mobile apps and mobile Internet also appeared after 2008.
Table 2.3 Trends in countries studied the most, 2000–2015
Country Pre-smartphone Smartphone era Total
China 3 15 18
3.3 % 16.3 % 19.6 %
Taiwan 1 1 2
1.1 % 1.1 % 2.2 %
Hong Kong 2 4 6
2.2 % 4.3 % 6.5 %
South Korea 1 15 16
1.1 % 16.3 % 17.4 %
Japan 4 2 6
4.3 % 2.2 % 6.5 %
Thailand 0 1 1
0 % 1.1 % 1.1 %
Philippines 0 2 2
0 % 2.2 % 2.2 %
Indonesia 0 4 4
0 % 4.3 % 4.3 %
Malaysia 1 0 1
1.1 % 0 % 1.1 %
India 0 7 7
0 % 7.6 % 7.6 %
Singapore 1 5 6
1.1 % 5.4 % 6.5 %
More than one country 2 7 9
2.2 % 7.6 % 9.8 %
Other countries 2 12 14
2.2 % 13.0 % 15.2 %
Total 17 75 92
18.5 % 81.5 % 100.0 %
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Regarding theories applied in the 92 published articles, diffusion of innovations and uses and gratifi cations were found to be the leading theories in both the pre- smartphone era and post-smartphone era (see Table 2.6 ), although the latter period saw an increase in theories of public sphere and civic engagement (12 %). Overall, theories and analytic concepts were largely unchanged between the two periods (chi square = 16.21, df = 13, non-signifi cant). Table 2.7 shows that quantitative research methods, survey (39.1 %) in particular, were used more than qualitative research
Table 2.4 Trends in Asian mobile technology studied in articles, 2000–2015
Technology Pre-smartphone Smartphone era Total
2G 3 1 4
3.3 % 1.1 % 4.3 %
3G 0 2 2
0 % 2.2 % 2.2 %
Mobile phone in general 14 71 85
15.2 % 77.2 % 92.4 %
4G /5G 0 1 1
0 % 1.1 % 1.1 %
Total 17 75 92
18.5 % 81.5 % 100.0 %
Chi square = 9.39, df = 3, p < .05
Table 2.5 Trends in mobile services and apps studied, 2000–2015
Service Pre-smartphone Smartphone era Total
Subscription/access/adoption 10 26 36
10.9 % 28.3 % 39.1 %
Social media 1 23 24
1.1 % 25.0 % 26.1 %
Email 1 0 1
1.1 % 0 % 1.1 %
Blogs 0 1 1
0 % 1.1 % 1.1 %
SMS /mobile news 3 18 21
3.3 % 19.6 % 22.8 %
Banking/taxi apps 0 2 2
0 % 2.2 % 2.2 %
Mobile Internet 0 3 3
0 % 3.3 % 3.3 %
Other 2 2 4
2.2 % 2.2 % 4.3 %
Total 17 75 92
18.5 % 81.5 % 100.0 %
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methods, both before and after the advent of the smartphone. The pattern persisted across the two periods (chi square = 18.75, df = 11, non-signifi cant).
RQ2 explored the trends of topics examined in articles that studied Asian mobile media from 2000 to 2015. Results in Table 2.8 reveal that trends in topics are shift- ing signifi cantly across time (chi square = 12.38, df = 2, p < .01). Pre-smartphone era articles largely looked at mobility access and user behavior , with almost no research concerning the effects on society. Post-smartphone era witnessed topics (38.7 %) that were largely concerned with user behavior, but nearly 40 % of studies examined the mobile effects on businesses, news media and society in general (see Table 2.8 ).
This evolving trajectory of Asian mobile media research is remarkably consistent with that of mass media research (Wimmer and Dominique 2008 ).
RQ3 gauged the proportion of published articles devoted to mobile communica- tion in public domain (e.g., mobile use for civic engagement and political purposes)
Table 2.6 Trends in theories and analytic concepts applied, 2000–2015
Theory/concept Pre-smartphone Smartphone era Total
Social capital 1 4 5
1.1 % 4.3 % 5.4 %
Diffusion of innovations 2 6 8
2.2 % 6.5 % 8.7 %
Uses & gratifi cations 2 7 9
2.2 % 7.6 % 9.8 %
Technology acceptance model 1 3 4
1.1 % 3.3 % 4.3 %
Media dependency 1 0 1
1.1 % 0 % 1.1 %
Critical 1 0 1
1.1 % 0 % 1.1 %
Social development/modern theory 0 3 3
0 % 3.3 % 3.3 %
Expectancy 0 1 1
0 % 1.1 % 1.1 %
Digital divide 0 3 3
0 % 3.3 % 3.3 %
Public sphere /civic discourse/engagement 0 9 9
0 % 9.8 % 9.8 %
Journalism & democracy , press freedom 0 3 3
0 % 3.3 % 3.3 %
Other 9 28 37
9.8 % 30.4 % 40.2 %
More than one theory 0 5 5
0 % 5.4 % 5.4 %
Total 17 75 92
18.5 % 81.5 % 100.0 %
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Table 2.7 Trends in research methods in Asian mobile media articles, 2000–2015
Method Pre-smartphone Smartphone era Total
Content analysis 0 3 3
0 % 3.3 % 3.3 %
Survey 9 27 36
9.8 % 29.3 % 39.1 %
Experiment 0 3 3
0 % 3.3 % 3.3 %
Historical 3 1 4
3.3 % 1.1 % 4.3 %
Legal/policy analysis 2 2 4
2.2 % 2.2 % 4.3 %
Personal interviews 1 14 15
1.1 % 15.2 % 16.3 %
Participant observation 0 1 1
0 % 1.1 % 1.1 %
Discourse/rhetorical analysis 0 5 5
0 % 5.4 % 5.4 %
Secondary data analysis 2 8 10
2.2 % 8.7 % 10.9 %
Case study 0 3 3
0 % 3.3 % 3.3 %
Focus groups 0 4 4
0 % 4.3 % 4.3 %
Mixed methods 0 4 4
0 % 4.3 % 4.3 %
Total 17 75 92
18.5 % 81.5 % 100.0 %
Table 2.8 Trends in topics of Asian mobile media articles, 2000–2015
Study topics Pre-smartphone Smartphone era Total
Medium/Access/History 10 15 25
10.9 % 16.3 % 27.2 %
Users/Uses 6 31 37
6.5 % 33.7 % 40.2 %
Effects on society, business, news 1 29 30
1.1 % 31.5 % 32.6 %
Total 17 75 92
18.5 % 81.5 % 100.0 %
Chi-square = 12.38, df = 2, p < 0.01
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relative to those in the private domain (e.g., private use and users). Results in Table 2.9 show that the mobile media were examined both as a technical object and as a social object across the two periods. However, articles falling into the public domain category increased markedly over time (chi square signifi cant at p < .05).
The changes confi rmed the expectation that as mobile media became increasingly multifunctional, studies expanded into the uses of mobile media as a civic and polit- ical toolkit.