New research has revealed that smartphones and apps are having a huge impact on British lifestyles, as 39% of the UK admit Facebook has positively changed their life.
Mobile phone retailer Carphone Warehouse polled the British public to find out what aspects of their everyday life have been impacted by smartphones.
Apps
The research revealed that Brits are taking to their mobile devices to control their social lives, as 44% use their handset to arrange meet ups with friends, a quarter (25%) book gig and theatre tickets, and 7% arrange dates through Apps on their devices.
Over a third (36%) of those surveyed were affected politically, as what they read or see on social media would persuade them to go and vote. Social media resonated best with 18 to 24 year olds, with nearly half (48%) saying social media posts made them more likely to vote.
As technology and smartphone apps have advanced, so has the number of apps Brits have at their fingertips and many are using these to learn new skills. One in three of those polled revealed that they have learnt a new language through smartphone apps.
Carphone Warehouse can reveal the top ten apps which have helped to change lives in a positive way include:
- Facebook (39%)
- Banking apps (28%)
- Health and fitness apps (21%)
- Twitter (21%)
- Instagram (18%)
- Travel apps (13%)
- Linkedin (12%)
- Education apps (8%)
- Productivity apps (7%)
- Dating apps (7%)
Health & Fitness
The study also found that smartphone apps are encouraging Brits to improve their fitness, with more than half of Brits (51%) being more likely to stick to a diet or fitness plan with help from an app. The addition of a fitness tracker or smartwatch makes tracking your activities even more reliable and many set goals to achieve on a weekly or monthly basis.
24% of users arealso using their smartphones to educate themselves. One in three (34%) Brits have learnt a new skill from using an app on their smartphone, with cooking (30%), speed reading (30%) and coding (27%) being some of the most popular.
Laura Harricks, Online Trading Director at Carphone Warehouse, said:
Smartphones have become such a normalised part of society that we can sometimes forget the variety of things they help us to achieve on a daily basis. From paying bills, to working out and even falling in love, it’s amazing to see how this technology has transformed our way of life so drastically.
Written By: Mark Holland
I love tech and gaming, and am always looking for the 'next big thing'...