A groundbreaking report conducted by the Boston Consulting Group, India, sheds light on the remarkable transformation in human behavior driven by the unprecedented surge in smartphone usage over the past 13 years.
According to the report, individuals now pick up their smartphones without a clear purpose nearly half the time, indicating a significant shift in daily habits.
Titled ‘Reimagining Smartphone Experience: How ‘Surfaces’ Can Play a Key Role in Making the Phone Smarter,’ the report unveils startling statistics: 31 percent of waking time is spent on smartphones, with a staggering 84 percent of users checking their devices within 15 minutes of waking up.
On average, users interact with their smartphones a remarkable 80 times daily.
The report attributes this surge in smartphone usage to the accessibility and affordability of mobile devices, particularly in regions like India, where the population skipped the traditional desktop phase and embraced mobile internet directly.
This leapfrogging phenomenon, fueled by affordable smartphones and cheap data plans, has propelled smartphone volume and usage to unprecedented heights, with a five-fold increase in sales observed from 2010 to 2023.
As smartphone usage evolves, so does the landscape of mobile applications, which have multiplied by 35 times, catering to diverse needs and preferences.
The report underscores the significant role of streaming content, which now occupies 50 percent of the total time spent on smartphones, contributing to a steep increase in overall screen time from 2 to 4.9 hours.
Despite the proliferation of apps and varied use cases, the report reveals a striking finding: almost half the time, users are unsure why they are engaging with their smartphones. This lack of clarity underscores the need for enhanced user experiences and more intuitive interfaces.
Furthermore, the report introduces the concept of ‘Surfaces’ – AI-powered engines facilitating interactions between users and apps.
Although still in its early stages, the Surface ecosystem boasts an impressive user base of 220 million Monthly Active Users (MAUs) in India, with an average user spending 16 minutes on the platform.
The BCG report identifies four critical stakeholders in the Surface ecosystem – app developers, Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) & telecommunications companies, brands & advertisers, and content creators – and explores how Surfaces present an opportunity for each stakeholder to deliver a more seamless and engaging experience to consumers on their smartphones.
