Q: How do you know someone has an iPhone?
A: They will show it to you.
It seems smartphone users from Ireland’s business community love their smartphones, so much so that four out of five Irish business people have recommended to friends or colleagues that they should use a smartphone.
Business types also like the utility of a smartphone. 60% have used their smartphone to make online purchases over the last year such as parking, travel, books and other, according to a survey* by Telefónica Ireland.
The O2 survey finds that 61% of respondents have a laptop with mobile broadband. Of these 81% use their smartphone mainly for email when out of the office while almost one in five (19%) are more likely to use their laptop.
Many are late adopters of the smart revolution. Nearly half (49%) have bought their smartphone in the last 12 months. 52% of respondents have an iPhone, 34% an Android and 14% a BlackBerry.
And what influences people when it comes to choosing a smartphone? 15% say choice of apps; 12% say cost of the device; 12% cite camera/picture quality; 11% are influenced by the cost of the monthly plan; 10% by network quality and 10% by brand name.
90% of respondents use their smartphone for email. Outside of calls and texting, email is the most popular use of a smartphone cited by 13%. 11% use it mostly for the camera/photos, 10% mainly use it for web browsing/surfing, 10% use it to access music, 9% for online general/business news and the same number use it mainly to keep up with social media such as LinkedIn.
* The study surveyed 151 Irish business smartphone users during March/April.
