Survey: Are Smartphones a Vital Tool in 2015?

A newly-published study shows that the average person could manage without a smartphone for many common tasks. However, for a select group, smartphones are the only realistic option for accessing online services.

The report comes from the Pew Research Center, which brought together several surveys, each of around 2,000 smartphone users. The results provide very differing meanings, depending on how they are viewed. (Source: pewinternet.org)

Most Tasks Achievable Without Phones

On one hand, the study suggests smartphones are by no means vital for many everyday tasks. Participants were asked if they ever had trouble performing basic tasks when they didn't have their phone, or didn't have an Internet connection. Not being able to find directions was the most common problem and affected 25 percent of respondents, while setting up meetings was the only other issue to affect more than 10 percent. (Source: time.com)

That said, the responses may be down to the way the question was worded. It could be that some participants are so reliant on their phones that the reason they've never experienced such problems is that they always have their phone readily available and fully charged.

On the other hand, the study also suggests that smartphones are the only means necessary for some people to get online. It found that 15 percent of participants did not have any affordable and available option to get online other than through their phone. Meanwhile, around 10 percent used their smartphone as the only way to get online at home.

Smartphones A 'Tenuous' Method To Get Online

The crossover of those stats means that seven percent of people are forced to use smartphones if they want to get online in their home. That position is most common among younger people, black and Hispanic people, and those on lower incomes. Previous studies have suggested this is partially because such groups are more likely to be renting and moving home frequently, and thus find it harder to sign long-term cable or DSL contracts.

That leads to significant problems, as those which are dependent on smartphones for online access are considerably more likely to lose online access. While only 21 percent of all respondents said they'd had to suspend or cancel their Internet service for financial reasons, the figure is 48 percent among those dependent on smartphones for access.

Not surprisingly, 51 percent of the respondents that rely on their phone are also much more likely to hit monthly mobile data caps, compared to 35 percent which have other online options, such as computers available.

What's Your Opinion?

Do you use a smartphone and, if so, is it your only option for getting online? Have you ever found yourself unable to carry out a task because you didn't have a smartphone on hand? Do you think it's a problem for society that some people are reliant on phones to get Internet access?