Famous Sad Love Quotes: Addicted to apps: 83% of smartphone and tablet owners are hooked on hand-held programmes

Thursday, August 4, 2011

Addicted to apps: 83% of smartphone and tablet owners are hooked on hand-held programmes

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Constant companions allow users 'me time' anywhere

By Daily Mail Reporter

Last updated at 1:42 PM on 4th August 2011

Have you found yourself spending a lot more time on Facebook since downloading it to your smartphone?

Can't stop Twittering or playing games on your tablet?

You aren't alone. A new report has revealed that 83 per cent of people who have a smartphone or tablet feel addicted to apps on their hand-held devices.

Happy addicts: Some 83 per cent of people said they were addicted to apps on their hand-held devices but that it was a positive thing

But far from being a bad thing the app addicts say the programmes are constant companions, allowing them some vital 'me time' wherever they are.

That burst of pleasure time can help improve people's drab daily routines, help them to relax, or even to educate them by helping people learn a new language.

Some 1,300 people between the ages of 13 and 64 were surveyed for the report by research consultant firm Latitude and MTV networks, which examined the underlying psychological reasons people enjoy app, to determine what the common threads or success are in the world of apps.

Choices: Apps can allow users to do anything from social network to playing a game or learning a language

'They allow intense personalization and hyper-focus, filling our idle moments with on-demand "me time",' said the report, quoted by Livescience.com.

Apps also help to speed up people's routines, enabling them to work on the move to people more productive which in turn frees up spare time to spend in other areas.

To that end, 77 per cent of respondents agreed that apps serve as their 'personal assistant'.

On the educational side of things, 91 per cent said apps were good at introducing them to new things.

'We learned that apps not only provide small doses of fun, but also offer real emotional and functional value to people's everyday lives,' said Neela Sakaria, senior vice president at Latitude.

'People welcome the opportunity for apps to open their eyes to new experiences, skills, relationships and even a greater sense of well-being.'

In terms of the most common factors in the success of apps, the most telling was word-of-mouth recommendation from a friend, with 53 per cent declaring it key in their choice of downloads.