NEWS10 August 2015

Young people use smartphones ‘every other minute’

News UK

UK — 15-24 year olds use their mobile phones an average of 387 times throughout the day, compared with the adult average of 264 times, according to the latest Institute of Practitioners in Advertising (IPA) TouchPoints survey.

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Last week Ofcom revealed that smartphones had overtaken laptops for internet access for the first time. The TouchPoints survey from the IPA uses a smartphone app to passively monitor what consumers are doing on their smartphones over a four-week period.

The latest survey, of 1,159 UK consumers aged 15+, revealed the following:

  • Young people (aged 15-24 ) use their phones every other minute they’re awake
  • 68% of smartphone use is at home
  • 40% of all video streaming on a smartphone occurs on a Saturday and Sunday
  • Facebook use peaks on a Sunday, particularly between 1:30pm-2pm
  • Using a phone for communication peaks between 6pm-6:30pm

“This report gives a snapshot of who is doing what on their smart phones and when they’re doing it which will add depth to all kinds of campaigns – not just mobile ones – and provides interesting stimulus for planners,” said Sue Unerman, chief strategy officer at MediaCom. “I expect that it will lead to the development of sophisticated use of second screen for advertisers. Every moment now is a point of sale and an opportunity to earn shares for a brand’s content or advertising if they deserve it. 

“It will also gradually but profoundly change people’s expectations of communications from brands.”

Full findings can be accessed here.

Bronwen Morgan

News UK

@RESEARCH LIVE

1 Comment

Pete Canning

8 years ago

Hello, This is clearly an interesting report from a respected organisation but the headline finding - Young people use their phone every other minute they're awake - surely fails any kind of common sense test. 'Use' implies look at but clearly that's not happening. Even the most smart phone addicted teen still as school/work/friends/life. Yes we all use our phone a lot but 'every other minute' really? Further on in the report (pg. 8) the figure of 97 minutes a day mobile phone use for 15-24 year olds is given - much less than every other minute but still interesting why not use that? I don't know the details of the passive data collection app that was used - and I am more than happy to be corrected - but just because an app picks up some activity on the phone I don't think we can say it was being 'used'. Apps, location services etc often run in the background - that can't be classed as a 'use' can it? Perhaps I'm being picky but it does look like the research has been twisted to produce an eye catching headline.

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