Study Shows Americans Use Smartphones Even During Sex and at Church
A new study, which provides insight into the behaviors of Americans with regard to their smartphones, shows that consumers use their devices just about everywhere – even during sex and at church, among other unusual places.
In an online study conducted by the market research firm Harris Interactive on behalf of the mobile company Jumio, one in 10 admitted to checking their phones in the shower, or during sex. The percentage jumps to 20 percent among those aged between 18 and 34 years.
When even the most intimate of moments isn't a cell phone-free zone, perhaps it's no coincidence that 12 percent of respondents in a relationship said they believe their smartphone gets in the way of that relationship, notes the survey, released Thursday.
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Called 2013 Mobile Consumer Habits, the study also found that one in five Americans polled admitted to using their phones in church.
This is not surprising given that 72 percent of those polled said they stay within five feet of their smartphones most of the time. "People view their smartphones as an extension of themselves, taking them everywhere they go – even the most unorthodox places – from the shower to their commute, from the dinner table to the bedroom," said Marc Barach, chief marketing and strategy officer, Jumio.
The study that involved interviewing more than 1,100 adult smartphone owners and users last month also showed that nearly a third of Americans used their phones in a movie theater or on a dinner date.
More than half of the respondents admitted they couldn't put their phones down even while driving. One-third of the respondents said they used phones at a child's or school function, and 12 percent admitted to using phones in the shower.
What's more, 29 percent admitted to peeping on someone else's phone – most of whom were single and between the ages of 18 and 34.
The study also revealed that nearly 60 percent of respondents keep their phone password protected. Single respondents seem more concerned about privacy than their married counterparts, being more likely to password protect their phones than those who are married, the study notes.
"Panic sets in when consumers are separated from their devices, with privacy concerns topping the list," Barach said. These concerns include theft of personal information, calls being made on their behalf, someone logging into their social profiles and someone using their mobile payment options.
