Mobile researcher Q bought by Fly Research

UK-- Mobile research specialist Q has been bought by Fly Research, which runs the MyVoice.co.uk panel. Terms of the deal were not disclosed.

The two companies will come together at Fly's London headquarters, bringing the combined headcount to 12 people.

Q chairman Liz Nelson and non-executive director Mike Penford will take on the same roles at Fly, with managing director Liam Corcoran becoming head of mobile insight.

Fly hopes to use Q's mobile research platform to develop the UK's first nationally representative mobile panel.

Ian Davidson, managing director of Fly, told Research: “Mobile is an up and coming area. It feels like online did in 2001 – it's there and people can see the potential and they're just starting to bite.”

Davidson said mobile research has been slow to take off, but improvements in technology and uptake make it more and more attractive as an approach.

“There was a brief flirtation with SMS surveys, but it was sort of an evolutionary dead end, it's just too painful,” he said. “Now, people have the right handsets and data contracts and the browsers are getting much better. There are certain niche groups where that comes together very nicely.”

Author: Robert Bain