Smartphones now most popular way to get online in UK
Smartphones have overtaken laptops as the most popular devices for going online in the UK, according to research by Ofcom.
Smartphones have overtaken laptops as the most popular devices for going online in the UK, according to research by Ofcom.
Smartphones have overtaken laptops as the most popular devices for going online in the UK, according to research by Ofcom.
The regulator’s annual Communications Market Report found that two-thirds of people now own a smartphone, which they use for just under two hours every day on average. By contrast, people use laptops and PCs to get online for just one hour and nine minutes a day.
A third of internet users saw their smartphone as “the most important device” for going online, compared with 30 per cent who prefer to use their laptops, the report found.
This is a big change on last year, when just 22 per cent preferred to use their smartphone to use the internet, compared with 40 per cent who opted for laptops.
The report suggested that 4G is opening up more different ways for people to use their smartphones, finding that 4G subscribers are doing more with their devices including shopping, banking, instant messaging and internet calls.
Ofcom’s chief executive Sharon White said: “Today’s report shows just how important reliable, fast internet access is to millions of consumers and businesses.”
James Thickett, Ofcom’s director of research, described smartphones as the “hub of our daily lives”.
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This indeed an interesting report, but I for one am not surprised for the simple reason that we can have access to our phones for 24hrs a day (if we want), whereas, our desktops are not always to hand.
Another matter that we must take into account is just what these hours of Smartphone use are spent doing. I expect (from observing the younger generation) that most of the time is spent on Social Media sites, with some news thrown in, not for searching for products and services.
This may be untrue and what ever the actual facts are, all business owners should ensure that their sites are ‘mobile friendly’ as well as taking a hard look at their analytics to see what devices are used, just to make sure that their site works in their customers eyes (in other words beware a high bounce rate).