Smart device penetration is rising in Australia and new research shows time spent watching mobile video is growing along with it, particularly among the highly sought-after demographic of males ages 18 to 34.

According to Nielsen's February 2012 “Australian Multi-Screen Report," smartphones and tablets were present in 49% and 10% of households, respectively, in Australia in Q4 2011.

Drilling deeper into the data, Nielsen found that time spent watching mobile video grew from 35 minutes in Q1 2011 to 1 hour and 20 minutes in Q4 2011. The company also reported that Australia's mobile video audience was heavily concentrated among males and in the 18-to-34 age bracket, a stat that may be even more important for marketing decision-makers than average time spent watching mobile video.

eMarketer estimates that 5.7 million people in Australia will be mobile internet users in 2012, representing 36% of Australia’s 15.7 million mobile phone users. While not all users will watch video on their mobile phone, uptake will grow with increases in smartphone penetration and better mobile coverage.