In the last several years, thanks to mobile phones and tablets the number of visitors to websites grew so much that it became the focus of attention. It’s not in vain that numerous websites are developing their own mobile applications. For example, half of American users of Facebook enter the social networking site through mobile devices. Social networking sites, without a doubt, capture a unique place in the Internet, though online news media also has a significant percentage of visitors via mobile devices.
Certainly, there are more people with smartphones in the US than in Armenia, but this doesn’t mean that their numbers in Armenia are insignificant. On the contrary, the same trends are felt here: people in Armenia likewise have begun to understand that they can follow the news in cafes and even while walking on the street.
According to the internal statistics of a few Armenian news outlets, today already 5–10% of visits are from mobile devices — and this, when a significant portion of news sites have either no or a less than perfect mobile version.
It’s another matter altogether that a negligible portion of online news outlets in Armenia is thinking about having its own mobile application. Experience shows that there’s a great deal of interest in having these. For example, in one month, about 1,000 people uploaded the Android application for news from A1+ on their mobile phones (note: this news provider also has an application for iOS). Those uploaded the same type of application for Armenia TV are greater — more than 1,000 people.
Tert.am has its own iOS application. As for the operating system most widespread in Armenia — Symbian (Nokia) — Armenia news providers offer only foreign agencies and RFE/RL’s Armenian service (Azatutyun Radio), which likewise isn’t completely an Armenia news outlet.
Editors have to realize that the iPads, Androids, and the like that are flowing into Armenia are going to change the market. Initially, people play with them, but then they understand that they can use the devices for more serious things. Thus, in the near future, Armenia’s news media industry might undergo serious change.
Samvel Martirosyan
