Domestic smartphone usage pushes the boundaries

What’s the weather will be like today? This is the third question we turn to our mobile with!

25. 05. 2022.

 

6.2 million people in Hungary have already been using smartphones and approximately 6 million browse the Internet on their mobiles in the 18-69 age group, according to the latest representative research of eNET. However, besides the high degree of smartphone penetration, there are several Internet activities where we do not prefer this device – such as shopping in an online store or mailing, where we use the computer instead. The technological development of devices and the emergence of related new services are constantly shaping our device and Internet usage habits.

 

Based on the results of the eNET research, it can be concluded that the spread of the use of smartphones and the Internet is unstoppable, which is in line with the prevailing digitalisation trends. Although online existence and device use are becoming more widespread among social groups, there are differences originating from labour market status and age groups. The most active users are among the under-30s and students: the proportion of Internet and smartphone users in this age group now reaches 100%, according to the new eNET survey. eNET has been conducting research on mobile phone and Internet use for nearly a decade.

 

TOP3 most common online activities: browsing, messaging, weather forecast information seeking

 

The most popular of endless possibilities offered by the Internet is to search for some information, chat, or look at the weather forecast (78-78%). This is the TOP3 most common goal or app to connect to the world wide web on our mobile.

 

The use of social media, although it is a widespread activity, ranked only fourth, head-to-head with emailing (74-74%). Seven out of ten prefer to read the news (73%) and watch online videos (71%). There is no question that the Internet plays a vital role for the adult Hungarian society to seek information and communicate with others, especially after the restrictions introduced as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic, but the popularity of these activities has been unbroken in the past too. One of the effects of the upheaval caused by the pandemic is that two-thirds of adults tend to shop online (64%). In addition, almost the same number turn to the Internet for information, such as for route planning (64%).

 

If it is the Internet and the pandemic, it is not a negligible fact that the coronavirus also had a significant impact on electronic administration options. Out of these, banking is the most popular (57%), but half of the residents tend to pay their bills or do other official activities online (50-50%), according to their own admission. “Despite the dynamic developments in mobile technology in recent times, we still primarily use our laptops for online administration – says Tünde Hack-Handa, senior researcher of eNET, specialising in topics related to digitalization.

 

Chat and social media apps in pole position

 

And what do we do primarily through apps? Online messaging and social media are also on the podium in this area. Among the activities carried out through mobile applications, these have reached the highest percentage, with more than half of the population using such apps. This is followed by GPS (47%), which, as before, is used primarily on telephones.

 

Furthermore, four out of ten people watch the weather forecast or a video in an app. Mobile app data show that activities the computer can be used for, are less likely to be done through apps.

 

Up to 10 apps! – that’s enough for most people

 

In Hungary, six out of ten smartphone users use a maximum of 10 applications on a regular basis – at least on a weekly basis -, but a quarter of them use only five. While it is not common that many applications are used on a regular basis, a quarter of residents download applications one or more times per week, and half of them at least once a month. However, we still do not like to pay to use apps. Only a third of respondents have already downloaded an application that costs money.