UK consumers have a growing appetite for connected devices, according to telecommunications, media and technology solutions expert Pyramid Research.
In its latest Digital Consumer Analyser (DCA), it found that British shoppers owned on average 2.5 connected devices in the third-quarter of 2016 – an increase of 10 per cent on the same period last year
These connected devices included smartphones, tablets, phablets, laptops, smart TVs, fitness bands and smart watches.
Stephanie Char, an analyst at Pyramid Research, has claimed that the rise in connected device adoption is driven by the capability of 4G for smartphones and tablets and the adoption of subscription-based video platforms, such as Netflix and Amazon Prime.
Ms Char said: “4G capability is a growing catalyst for respondents to change mobile phone. In fact, 35 per cent of users said they are looking to replace their handsets in the next six months.
“To cater for this trend of video on-the-move, battery life, screen quality/resolution, and sound quality in handheld devices have become the most important attributes considered by mobile phone users when purchasing a new smartphone,” added Ms Char.
The report also found that 47 per cent of respondents confirmed having used a mobile payment app in Q3 – nine percentage points higher than last year.
Ms Char concluded: “Customers’ perception of the risk associated with mobile payment applications continues to be higher than 30 per cent. Indeed, the survey finds that although the idea of swapping credit/bank cards for alternative mobile payment methods is gaining appeal, security continues to be an important deterrent.”
