A total of 61 percent of people have a smartphone and 54 percent use digital services while on the go, according to the GfK study “Mobile Communication 2016” conducted in ten countries including eight EU countries, Russia and the US. For one in five respondents (22%), location-independent digital communication has become unimaginable.
GfK said 34 percent are “semi-connected”, with networking a fixed part of their daily life, compared with 28 percent in 2014. Germany scores a medium ranking, with 20 percent belonging to the digital avant-garde. Russia leads the ranking at 35 percent, ahead of the UK at 30 percent.
The survey found 77 percent of smartphone users surf the internet on their devices (+13%). For 42 percent of the respondents, it is important to access data, pictures and music from anywhere. It said 38 percent use smartphone apps such as diaries to organise their daily lives.
Almost one in three (31%) would find it worse to lose their smartphone than their wallet. It found 45 percent of internet users only consume news via their mobile devices. GfK found 39 percent of smartphone users consider health apps as a good way of supporting their healthy lifestyle. Meanwhile, 27 percent compare prices on their smartphone when shopping.
Four out of ten respondents (39%) turn off their smartphones from time to time to avoid being disturbed. In the group of the super-connected, one in two respondents does that.
