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| Britons 'love smartphones and selfies' | Britons 'love smartphones and selfies' |
| (about 9 hours later) | |
| Smartphones have edged ahead of laptops for the first time as the preferred devices for connecting online in the UK, a report by Ofcom says. | Smartphones have edged ahead of laptops for the first time as the preferred devices for connecting online in the UK, a report by Ofcom says. |
| The communications watchdog said 33% of Britons opted for smartphones as the device of choice in 2014, ahead of 30% who preferred laptops. | The communications watchdog said 33% of Britons opted for smartphones as the device of choice in 2014, ahead of 30% who preferred laptops. |
| Ofcom said the toppling of the laptop was a "landmark moment". | Ofcom said the toppling of the laptop was a "landmark moment". |
| Data from studies in 2014 also suggests that Britons took 1.2bn selfies last year, it said. | Data from studies in 2014 also suggests that Britons took 1.2bn selfies last year, it said. |
| Some 31% of Britons said they had taken a picture of themselves in the past year, with one in 10 adults taking at least one per week, Ofcom added. | Some 31% of Britons said they had taken a picture of themselves in the past year, with one in 10 adults taking at least one per week, Ofcom added. |
| Backing up pictures | Backing up pictures |
| It said that the rise in smartphones with increasingly good cameras was potentially fuelling the craze. | It said that the rise in smartphones with increasingly good cameras was potentially fuelling the craze. |
| The smartphone was found to be more popular than the digital camera for taking and storing photos in 2014, with 60% of adults and 89% of 16 to 24 year olds using their phone for photography. | The smartphone was found to be more popular than the digital camera for taking and storing photos in 2014, with 60% of adults and 89% of 16 to 24 year olds using their phone for photography. |
| However, just 29% of adults aged over 35 said they backed up their digital pictures, and 70% said they displayed printed copies of their favourites at home. | However, just 29% of adults aged over 35 said they backed up their digital pictures, and 70% said they displayed printed copies of their favourites at home. |
| Ofcom compiles its Communications Market Report every year to monitor the UK's habits. | Ofcom compiles its Communications Market Report every year to monitor the UK's habits. |
| UK adults spent nearly two hours a day on average using the internet on their phones, according to its report. | UK adults spent nearly two hours a day on average using the internet on their phones, according to its report. |
| The margin of people who said they thought their their phones were "more important" than their laptops for connection online was small - 19% opted for tablets and 14% for desktop computers - but the change is still significant, said Jane Rumble, director of market intelligence at Ofcom. | The margin of people who said they thought their their phones were "more important" than their laptops for connection online was small - 19% opted for tablets and 14% for desktop computers - but the change is still significant, said Jane Rumble, director of market intelligence at Ofcom. |
| "We've reached a landmark moment where the smartphone has become the most important way for people to get online - just last year laptops were in first place," she said. | "We've reached a landmark moment where the smartphone has become the most important way for people to get online - just last year laptops were in first place," she said. |
| Still watching TV | Still watching TV |
| By the end of 2014, 23.6 million people were using 4G mobile internet and more than half of them were using it to shop online. | By the end of 2014, 23.6 million people were using 4G mobile internet and more than half of them were using it to shop online. |
| The study also found that 4G users did more banking, instant messaging and video clip watching on their phones than those without. | The study also found that 4G users did more banking, instant messaging and video clip watching on their phones than those without. |
| In Britain, 90% of homes now have 4G access and that figure is set to rise to 98% by the end of 2017, said Ms Rumble. | In Britain, 90% of homes now have 4G access and that figure is set to rise to 98% by the end of 2017, said Ms Rumble. |
| Just 2% of British homes still do not have access to even the most basic 2G mobile internet signal, she added. | Just 2% of British homes still do not have access to even the most basic 2G mobile internet signal, she added. |
| While tablet use is up by 10% on the previous year with just over half of households now owning one, the majority are not being used as mobile devices, said Ms Rumble. | While tablet use is up by 10% on the previous year with just over half of households now owning one, the majority are not being used as mobile devices, said Ms Rumble. |
| "They tend to be more family or household equipment, shared in the home, using wifi - they are very much home devices," she said. | "They tend to be more family or household equipment, shared in the home, using wifi - they are very much home devices," she said. |
| Despite the recent launches of high-profile smartwatches such as the Apple Watch and Pebble, wearables did not feature highly in Ofcom's report. | Despite the recent launches of high-profile smartwatches such as the Apple Watch and Pebble, wearables did not feature highly in Ofcom's report. |
| "Less than 5% of UK adults own a smartwatch but given the rapid increase in 4G take-up, I think that is likely to be set to continue [to rise]," said Ms Rumble. | "Less than 5% of UK adults own a smartwatch but given the rapid increase in 4G take-up, I think that is likely to be set to continue [to rise]," said Ms Rumble. |
| The report also found that adults watched an average of three hours and 40 minutes of television each day on traditional TV sets - down by 11 minutes on the previous year. | The report also found that adults watched an average of three hours and 40 minutes of television each day on traditional TV sets - down by 11 minutes on the previous year. |
| "We have seen a small decline... but we are still watching a lot of TV," said Ms Rumble. | "We have seen a small decline... but we are still watching a lot of TV," said Ms Rumble. |
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