It is no surprise that the amount of time we spend on our mobile phones has increased over the years. With busy lives and increasingly accessible mobile internet, we are now spending more time online on our mobile phones than on desktop computers. This is a stark contrast to even ten years ago. But what are we doing on our phones all day? With many spending as much as four or more hours on a smartphone per day, let’s explore exactly what mobiles are being used for.
Mobile is now heavily used for online shopping
Perhaps one of the most prevalent ways in which we use our mobile phones today is for online shopping. With many large companies using apps for easy access, finding exactly what you need is easier than ever. Mobile commerce (or m-commerce) is growing, with consumers using their mobiles to compare prices and find the best deal.
Extensions to mobile browsers can now even source and add coupons and discount codes automatically for simple savings. Of course, even when shopping on the local high street, most consumers now use mobile phones for store cards and payment methods.
They help to keep track of your productivity
It isn’t all about fun and socializing when it comes to how our mobile phone use has developed over time. We increasingly use our phones for daily administrative tasks with the vast range of productivity apps on offer. These can include keeping track of online banking and bills, monitoring health and well-being with health tracker apps, and storing electronic train and plane tickets. It is not an understatement to say many of us rely on our phones for nearly everything – so how can companies keep up?
It has changed the way that companies conduct their business
While it used to be considered most important for users to have a positive desktop browsing experience, the tides are turning. With mobile phone internet usage rising to overtake other forms of tech, a mobile-first strategy has become essential for business success. Ensuring that a site looks just as good on a small mobile phone screen and is easy to use, even without a dedicated app, is the key to keeping consumers on your page.
Google was one of the first companies to adopt this approach, with a mobile-first attitude aimed at capturing and keeping users engaged. A lot of site traffic is now generated from mobiles, and even iGaming websites and their games, like the Pink Casino Slots, are now optimized for mobile. A huge amount of site traffic across the board now comes from mobile users, so it’s crucial that businesses now prioritize a mobile-first approach.
As smartphone sales outstrip sales of PCs, this strategy favors how a site looks and feels on a mobile phone, which used to be something of an afterthought. Such techniques as reducing the number of links present in menus and improving site architecture, streamlining pages, and eliminating multi-column content are used to create cleaner, easier-to-use websites that encourage engagement and lower bounce rates.
Mobiles are there for easy online communication & socializing
While social media has been a popular trend for many years, socializing on mobile phones has massively increased over recent years. Social media platforms such as Instagram, TikTok, and Twitter have popular apps that make connecting with friends online easy. For direct and free international messaging, WhatsApp continues to be widely used – which means users don’t get charged for texting friends or relatives in other countries.
People increasingly also use their mobile phones to connect with work colleagues as well as loved ones on messaging platforms like Slack or via video calls. It’s no wonder so much time is spent on mobile phones, as connecting with others has been made so easy – even if you don’t make an old-fashioned telephone call.
Users seek plenty of online entertainment each day
Switching off used to mean taking a break from your screen, but mobile gaming and entertainment have changed this. Mobile games have come a long way since the days of pixelated screens, and now anyone can find a range of games in their app store. Downloading games for private playing can be a great way to unwind, but in recent years new platforms have combined gaming with socializing and live streaming. Even outside of the gaming sphere, many TV streaming apps allow users to watch their favorite shows and movies on the go, while music, podcasts, and eBooks provide even more entertainment.
