A recent brochure by Ericsson ConsumerLab included a bevvy of interesting figures relating to when consumers use their smartphones. Data was collected over an 18-month period from U.S. users, who would pick their top three situations to use their smartphone, revealing that 65% would in the early evening, 26% at dinner, and 40% in bed at night (35% in the morning). The data was then further broken down into when respondents would use e-mail, SMS, instant messaging, social networking, internet, GPS, music, and games.
Mobile internet usage was most popular at lunchtime, while mobile music and GPS was (predictably) most used during commute. Gaming and social networking were both popular picks for the late evening. E-mail and SMS was used pretty evenly throughout the day.
One in four seems like a pretty high percentage of people to be checking their phone at the dinner table, considering how most folks see it as bad etiquette. Other studies show that most folks think mobile etiquette is getting worse rather than better, but to be honest, my sensibilities on these things have been warped beyond salvation. As smartphone penetration deepens, I could see the stigma disappearing over time, but certainly not soon. I’m definitely guilty of pulling out my phone at dinner, but how else am I supposed to share my dinner with Foodspotting or check in to a restaurant on Foursquare?
You can find the rest of Ericsson’s data in a PDF here, but here’s a taste.
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