Smartphones have overtaken laptops for the first time as the preferred device for accessing the internet in the UK, according to Ofcom's annual Communications Market Report. In 2014, 33% of Britons said their smartphone was their most important device for going online, compared with 30% who favoured laptops. Ofcom described the shift as a 'landmark moment'.
The report also highlighted the British love affair with selfies, revealing that 1.2 billion were taken in 2014. Some 31% of adults said they had taken a selfie in the past year, with one in ten taking at least one per week. The rise of smartphones with high-quality cameras is thought to be fuelling the trend.
Smartphones have also overtaken digital cameras for photography, with 60% of adults and 89% of 16- to 24-year-olds using their phone to take and store photos. However, only 29% of adults over 35 back up their digital pictures, while 70% display printed copies of their favourites at home.
UK adults now spend nearly two hours a day on average using the internet on their phones. By the end of 2014, 23.6 million people were using 4G, with more than half using it to shop online. 4G users also do more banking, instant messaging, and video watching on their phones than those without.
Tablet ownership has risen by 10% year-on-year, with just over half of households now owning one, but they are mostly used as shared home devices on wifi. Wearables like smartwatches remain niche, with less than 5% of UK adults owning one, though Ofcom expects this to rise with 4G uptake.
Despite the growth in mobile internet, traditional TV viewing remains high, with adults watching an average of three hours and 40 minutes per day, down 11 minutes from the previous year.
