I just came back from a lunch meeting where a colleague asked me if my girlfriend knows about my smartphone addiction yet. So you can understand why I laughed when I checked my email and found this report. According to a new report from Prosper Insights & Analytics, the majority of mobile users can’t live without their smartphones or disconnect while on vacation.
Three in five (60.9%) mobile users say that they use their smartphones for all functions of their daily life, according to Prosper Insights & Analytics™, up 34% from a year ago. Meanwhile, the percentage of users who say they use their smartphone only for basic functions is down a whopping 85%, indicating smartphones are growing even more intertwined with people’s lives.
Further, it appears that mobile users can’t even disconnect when on vacation. 82.6% say they take their smartphone/tablet with them and use it all the time, up from 71.1% last year. Further, usage is up across a variety of activities such as checking email or entertainment. Checking in for a flight is up 52% year-over-year and making reservations for restaurants or attractions is up 35%.
Smartphone or Tablet Usage for the Following While on Vacation
2013 Indexed to 2012 (Adults 18+)
Checking in at an airport ahead of time — 152
Making reservations for restaurants or attractions — 135
Entertainment while traveling (on a plane, in the car, etc.) — 132
Posting photos/status updates to social media — 128
Searching for local restaurants or attractions — 126
Entertainment while on vacation (at the beach, in a hotel, etc.) — 124
Checking work email — 122
GPS/Maps — 122
Keeping in touch with those back home — 117
Checking personal email — 111
Source: Prosper Insights & Analytics™
To be read as: Score of 100 is flat to Adults 18+; Score of 105 indicates score is 5% higher than Adults 18+.
“The inability to disconnect while on vacation appears to be the byproduct of our digital society and in some cases can relieve the stress caused by being away from work or home,” said Pam Goodfellow, analyst for Prosper Insights & Analytics™. “However, constant connectivity is a double-edge sword because you’re seemingly sacrificing the true meaning of vacation—to relax and disconnect. Perhaps the question we should be asking ourselves is ‘Where do we draw the line?’”