A recent report by Ofcom has shown that smartphone use has exceeded that of laptops, making handheld devices the most popular in the UK. The amount of time spent on smartphones each day by UK adults has almost doubled, with users spending up to four hours on their phones.
Laptops used to be the preferred device for 30% of UK adults, with tablets on 19% and desktop computers on 14%. Since the rise of smartphones, these figures have changed considerably. Looking at tablets, this figure has gone up by 4%, whereas use of desktop computers has decreased by 6% - due, in part, to the constant improvement in technology and smartphones.
Figures show that at least two thirds of UK adults now own a smartphone, up by 39% since 2012. Smartphone ownership figures are highest amongst 16-24 year olds and ownership amongst 55-64 year olds doubling since 2012 to 50%.
According to The Guardian, the rapid rise in mobile browsing came alongside 4G uptake. In 2014, the 4G subscription stood at 2.7million, by the end of 2014 that figure was 23.6million. People with 4G also spend more time online than those on slower connections.
Undoubtedly this shift is having an impact on how people consume media, which in turn is affecting the best way to target new and potential customers. How has the rise of the smartphone affected you?