UKOM: Smartphones account for 74% of time spent online

Festive content, gaming and football captured the attention of online audiences over the Christmas period. While social media apps rank highest for time spent on smartphones, tablet devices are popular for watching video - YouTube, Netflix, BBC iPlayer, TikTok, ITVX and Amazon Prime Video all featured in the top 10 for total tablet minutes in December.

The popularity of the World Cup saw 1.6 million users visit the new ITVX app for the England v France quarter final and Amazon Prime Video’s live streaming of the Premier League drove Boxing Day peaks. 

Social media continued to rank highest for time spent on smartphones. The latest data also shows that smartphones account for 74% of all time spent online, with women and younger audiences spending a greater share of time on them. Average usage time per day on smartphones totals 2 hours and 30 minutes, and just over 3 hours and 30 minutes per day across devices. 

Key insights from December also include:

• M&S attracted millions to its app with its ‘12 days of Christmas’ campaign - up 5.5 million users in December compared to September
• The top 5 organisations and brands by audience remain unchanged between September and December, but TikTok and Tesco enter the top 10
• Daily data shows people’s behaviour changes over the festive period - gaming on Christmas Day but shopping and football on Boxing Day
• Usage of the NHS 111 web service surpassed 1 million in December as strep A, COVID, ambulance strikes and seasonal winter illnesses gripped the UK

You can download the full report here.