Mobile Users Aren't So 'Appy'

Ofcom this month revealed that Smartphones have overtaken laptops as the most popular device for getting online, but businesses rushing to create apps to reach this market might be wasting their time, according to a new study.

New research by web hosting company and domain name registrar 34SP.com into the mobile habits of 1,000 Brits, found that many are deleting apps from their mobile phones at an alarming rate – with 2 in 5 admitting they do so often.

Although a third said their phone is the main device they use to access the internet, 1 in 5 stated that they regularly delete apps within just three months of downloading them.

Daniel Foster, technical director and co-founder of 34SP.com, said: “Increasingly businesses are investing a lot of resource into creating innovative apps for their customers, in the hope to attract them in an extremely saturated market. So it’s disappointing to find that for a lot of consumers it isn’t long before they actually delete an app from their device.

“There could be a number of reasons why a consumer might delete an app. It’s not uncommon for users to hit storage capacity on their phones, for example, and apps are often the first thing to go before music, videos, or photos.

“The latest mobile update from Google may have had an impact; too, as businesses have been pushed to create mobile websites that are more mobile-friendly. This means consumers no longer need to download an app that takes up precious storage to get a decent experience on mobile.

“Offering regular perks to those that download an app might be the only way to keep a consumer that isn’t necessarily loyal to a brand engaged, to prevent them from deleting the app.”

The research also revealed that 1 in 4 of those surveyed said their mobile is the main device they use to read the news, whilst 25 per cent said they use their mobile phone to complete a number of everyday tasks, including grocery shopping, bank transactions, and booking holidays and restaurants. In addition, 22 per cent of our respondents admitted to owning more than one mobile device.[su_box title=”About 34SP.com” style=”noise” box_color=”#336588″]34SP.com is a top 20 hosting company that offers professional website hosting services for cost-conscious web developers, online businesses and designers. The 34SP.com team of technical experts offers industry-leading support and service coupled with a money-back guarantee to ensure client satisfaction. Web hosting services offered include domain name registration, website hosting, and WordPress hosting. The company is headquartered in central Manchester, England.[/su_box]