Addicted to smartphones: the latest Ofcom communications results ~ Technology Update

Thursday, August 4, 2011

Addicted to smartphones: the latest Ofcom communications results

10:21 AM latest techno report No comments

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Almost half of teenagers own a smartphone and 60% claim to be 'highly' addicted. Find the latest results of the Ofcom communications report
• Get the data

The popularity of smartphones just keeps rising according to the latest survey results from Ofcom's annual communications report.

Teens seem to be the biggest fans of smartphones such as Blackberrys, iPhones and Androids with 60% admitting to being 'highly' addicted to their phones. The survey results show just how smartphones have taken over the market - in the first quarter of this year 48% of mobile sales were smartphones. Josh Halliday writes:

Almost half of teenagers and more than a quarter of adults now own a smartphone, with most using their iPhone or BlackBerry to browse Facebook and email.
The study, published on Thursday, also shows that smartphones have begun to intrude on our most private moments, with 47% of teenagers admitting to using their device in the toilet. Only 22% of adults confessed to the same habit. Unsurprisingly, mobile-addicted teens are more likely than adults to be distracted by their phones over dinner and in the cinema – and more would answer their phone if it woke them up.

The survey which takes into account the responses of 2,073 adults and 521 children has produced some interesting insights into the telecommunications industry. Respondents were asked a series of questions regarding their activities with mobiles, television, radio and internet. So what have we found out?

• Smartphone sales have rocketed up to claim nearly half of the mobile sales market during the first three months of this year. In 2005 Q1 smartphone sales accounted for 4% of all mobile sales, in 2011 Q1 it was 48%
• 60% of teens claim to have a 'high' addiction to their smartphones. Only 37% of adults responded in the same way, interestingly 37% also claimed 'moderate' addiction
• The biggest decline for adults and teens using smartphones has been in taking photos with a traditional camera. For teens 30% also claim to spend less time playing games on a PC/console
• 4 hours is the average number of hours spent watching TV - a small rise from 3.8 hours in 2009
• 50% of people claim to use the mobile internet equally at home and outside their residence

The tables below show the amount spent on smartphones since 2005 along with their market share of mobile sales. There is also the responses of users of mobiles and their level of phone addiction.

The spreadsheet below shows a sample of the survey results from Ofcom. The full report can be downloaded from their site.

What can you do with the data?