Future report insight story
What do digital habits look like in different European countries? This year’s Future Report Insight Story survey compares Sweden, Italy, France and Spain to find out. Looking further, the findings also tell us how global trends impact the world.
With the growing number of smartphone users and the burst of Internet of things (IoT) mobile phones have become a portal for an ever-growing list of digital activities.
When we look at our survey findings, regarding mobile behaviors, we can observe that users in Sweden, a digitally mature marked, use the smart phone in a more varied way than other surveyed countries.
READING NEWS ON THE PHONE
Most Swedes claim that they use their phone for reading the news, compared to less than half of the connected French. Social media is accessed by a majority of the connected Swedes on their phone, and less than half of the French.
The map function is used most frequent by Swedes and Italians and to a little extent by Spaniards and French. But it is changing fast. Our study suggests that Sweden is about two years ahead of the other surveyed countries.
Mobile payment continues to grow rapidly among customers in the developed world. Most of the connected Swedes have used the phone to pay, a lot thanks to the payment service Swish. Among Spaniards, Italians and the French less than half have used the mobile to pay for a service. Those who haven’t used the mobile to pay yet, in all countries but France, claim that they haven’t had the need, the French say that they don’t trust that it works.
When comparing countries like this, there’s a bigger question emerging – is digitalization bringing the world together, when we share information and millions of people watch the same TV shows, visit the same websites and laugh at the same jokes?
Not necessarily it turns out. Studies show the opposite result, that the change, in fact, is moving us all forward at the same speed, but as different groups. At the same time there is a movement towards more traditional values.
SMS RATHER THAN TALKING
Our survey also digs into consumption behaviors, confirming last year’s report, that the mobile is the device where all the trends come together. Increasingly, we prefer to communicate with our loved ones through messaging apps or sms, rather than talking. We buy stuff like trips, books and beauty products online. We expect to be able to access just about anything with a swipe.
THE AGE OF DIGITAL SNACKING
This means that we are now at the age of digital snacking. So, what does that do to our society, democracy, ethics and morality? What does that do for innovation and entrepreneurship? We are excited to share the study with you. Do let us know what you think!
Read the full report: Insight story
