A recent Ofcom report highlights a decline in mobile voice calls for the first time ever as a direct result of more people switching to texting and online channels for communicating.
39% of the population now own a smartphone and apparently the average Brit sends 50 texts per week driving a decline in traditional communication methods including fixed line and mobile calls.
With smartphones also becoming increasingly popular in the workplace does your existing mobile plan, which may well be part way through a 2-3 year contract, support the current usage patterns of your employees?
Here are just some of the ways people are using their smartphones as highlighted by Ofcom’s research:
- Messaging – text, IM and email
- Social networking – 42% use their smartphone to access sites like Facebook and Twitter
- Watching video –Facebook apparently generates almost a quarter of all referred traffic to YouTube
- Shopping – as well as using it for product purchases users are making price comparisons, researching features and reading product reviews during a shopping trip
- Sporting updates – almost 20% of interviewees believe they will use multiple devices to stay in touch with results from the Olympics
In just a few years the technology available to us has transformed the way we communicate. Advancements in digital engagement are certain to continue at pace, to what, who can say, but one thing seems to be clear, we won’t be calling each other to talk about it.
Not to be outdone by the abundance of banking and retail payment apps launched in recent months, PayPal’s new app will enable shoppers to use their mobile phone to pay for purchases with four leading retailers – Oasis, Karen Millen, Coast and Warehouse.
