WhatsApp, Facebook first things people check in morning, claims study

Instant messaging app like Whatsapp and social networks are the first things that most consumers check on their smartphones in the morning, a study by professional services firm Deloitte said. According to Deloitte’s Mobile Consumer Survey 2015, about 78% of respondents owning smartphones said they checked their phones within 15 minutes of waking up.  About 52% of the respondents said they check their phones within five minutes before going to sleep every night. “The research found that communication services namely mobile IM, social networks are the first thing consumers check on their smartphones in the morning. These are followed by emails and SMS,” it added. The survey analyzed mobile usage habits of over 2,000 Indian consumers as part of a global survey of 49,000 respondents across 30 countries. As of June 2015, 86% of those surveyed owned smartphone, which is 12% higher than in 2013. According to the research, about 28% of smartphone owners said they looked at their devices at least 11 to 25 times a day, while 22% of them said they checked their phones at least 26 to 50 times a day. Over 17% said they look at their smartphones at least 51 to 100 times a day. “From our study, it is evident that smartphone usage has disrupted many common daily activities, and this is here to stay… The telecom sector will need to optimize networks and infrastructure to meet consumer expectations,” Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu India LLP senior director Santosh Anoo said. PTI