Generation Smartphone and Generation App

Bloomberg Businessweek writer Stacey Higginbotham calls the smartphone as the modern-day cigarette.

Higginbotham reached the conclusion that smartphones are the new cigarettes with the August 4 release of the Ofcom’s Communication UK Market Report.

The Ofcom report shows that more than a quarter of adults and close to half of all teens in the UK now own a smartphone. Of these number, 37% of adults and 60% of teens are “highly addicted” to them, this according to Ofcom.

In a statement, Ofcom said, “New Ofcom research reveals the extent to which the UK has become addicted to smartphones, with people confessing to using them everywhere from the dining table to the bathroom and bedroom.”

The Ofcom research also looked into the popularity of mobile applications or apps among smartphone users. The research result shows that “47 per cent of adult smartphone users have downloaded an app – with many people taking advantage of the availability of free apps.”

“Adults are also most likely to pay for games (15 per cent) and music (8 per cent) apps, with maps/ navigation following close behind (7 per cent),” the Ofcom research shows.

The Ofcom research shows a behavioral difference between adult and teenage smartphone users when it comes to apps.

“Teenage smartphone owners are more likely to have paid for an app download (38 per cent) than adult owners, amongst whom just a quarter (25 per cent) had paid for an app,” this according to Ofcom.

What do you think? Are smartphones the modern-day cigarettes?

About the Author: Burlapp is a technology company that is focused on building mobile applications. If your company plans to integrate mobile technologies into your corporate strategies, contact Burlapp at its new website.