Making calls now only the fifth most used smartphone function

Browsing the web and social networks overtake call making in smartphone usage list

As smartphones grow in popularity, a new study has found that making calls is now only handsets' fifth most used function behind web browsing

As smartphone manufacturers pack handsets with increasingly high-end innards and specs list, new reports have revealed that making calls is now only the fifth most used feature on a modern mobile.

With social networking, web browsing, eBook reading and media absorption becoming increasingly essential selling points for modern smartphone devices, a new study carried out by smartphone retailer and network provider O2 has found call making is no longer the primary purpose of mobile phones.

With 2,000 smartphone owners surveyed, O2 has found that the average handset user spends almost 25 minutes per day using their device to browse the web, now the most used feature of modern handsets whilst checking social networking sites, playing app-based games and listening to music now all take on more daily usage time than the 12 minutes spent making calls.

“Smartphones are now being used like a digital 'Swiss Army Knife', replacing possessions like watches, cameras, books and even laptops,” said David Johnson, General Manager Device for O2 UK said. He added: “While we're seeing no let-up in the number of calls customers make or the amount of time they spend speaking on their phones, their phone now plays a far greater role in all aspects of their lives.

“Smart technology has improved in dramatically with the camera, diary, email and social media hardware and apps where design attention has been lavished. Now that it's so easy to use, there's no surprise that consumers are switching to phones for these functions.”

Checking Emails is now the sixth most common use of smartphone devices according to the O2 study with text messaging, watching TV and films and reading books lining up as the seventh, eighth and ninth most used features respectively. Using the highly desired inbuilt camera to take photographs is the 10th most used daily function.

What do you most use your modern smartphone for? How far down your list does making calls come? Let us know via the T3 Twitter and Facebook feeds.

Via: DailyMail

Luke Johnson

Staff Writer on T3 Luke Johnson studied journalism at the Liverpool John Moores University and writes, news, opinion and interviews for the site. Topics of expertise include gaming, phones, photography, tablets and computing. Luke is a huge Apple fan, too, owning multiple Apple products and writing about iPhones and iPads frequently.