Smartphones have grown in popularity by leaps and bounds as has access to information in the cloud. Staggering numbers are reported for smartphone usage:
- Smartphone usage in 2015 accounted for 68% of the US population vs 35% in 2011
- 86% owned smartphones in the 18-29 age range
- 83% owned smartphones in 30-49 age range
Even the use of internet, which was 52% of the US population in 2000, is up to 85%. Reasons and demographics for persons not using the internet range from a number of factors:
- Age group
- Educational background
- Household Income
- Cost prohibitive
- No interest
- Not relevant
- Too difficult
- Too old to learn
I’m sure we all understand that exposure to technology in the household is a big factor. You can be well-educated with a high household income, but have no interest in available technology or maybe other reasons that are not on our radar. I understand that rural areas or households with limited means have good cause to hold back on costs associated with data plans and the cost of the phone. All of these factors listed seem to make sense, but I have a myth buster personality and I’m here to break the mold on the topic of smartphones and apps.
I had the pleasure of setting up a new company on TSheets Time Tracking Software. The workers had been filling out time sheets on paper forever. Some even skipped the timesheet altogether and called in their hours. The workers make good money, they are a mix of people from age 25-50 and they live in an urban area. Out of 25 workers, 99% of them had a smartphone, albeit one did not use a data plan. I can relate. My husband is using my old IPhone 5 along with his flip phone but refuses to pay for a data plan. No, he is not an early adopter like me, but he likes to fuss with some apps and has learned to navigate his way around apps.
What blew me away about this group of 25 people was that with a 99% rate of smartphone usage, 50% of them never used an app, didn’t have a login to an internet browser and used their phone solely for phone usage. They freaked out when their Android gave a warning that their Google Play app was going to access their contacts/photos/information (I don’t blame them, I wouldn’t like that, but I’d still blow through it and download the app.) The majority of people in this group did not know how to use location services and looked at me like I had horns coming out of my head during training. I was pushing the needle for most of them.
The good news is that since their training session, they are on their way to compliant usage. This is a major victory. Believe me, there are apps that I have downloaded years ago, but I wouldn’t be considered a compliant user. For example, and I’m going to get personal here as well as put out a heads up on my app usage, I have two apps that I have just adopted a total usage level. Here is my take on my own personality in regards to these apps.
- UP app- Works with my UP band that tracks my steps, my sleep and other health metrics. It works with my Lose It app, where I just recently started logging my food intake (I’ve had this damn app for three years and haven’t gotten past three days of compliance). I’m on my third week of using both, not just once a day, but all day with 100% diligence. I found that the first week was a struggle to keep my tracking consistent, but now, I’m addicted to the feedback and immediate gratification of information that shows me if I’m on track with my goals. Bravo for me for breaking my three-day barrier, but also, it’s helping me develop a healthier lifestyle.
- QuickBooks Online app – I’ve been on QuickBooks Online for two years now and am just getting around to using the IPhone and IPad app. It had definitely become more robust and, as I found with the UP band/Lose It combo, I love the immediate gratification of instant information. Who owes me, what is my profitability, awesome bank feeds and information at my fingertips. Love it, I want more!
My personal demographics are that I live in a fairly urban area, I am well-educated, I have a fairly decent household income, I’m definitely over the hill and I’m always looking at my budget. But I believe all of those things are irrelevant. What I really believe is that people who are open-minded, who do not resist change and who are dedicated to new and better tools will gravitate to apps and cloud based programs. My own mother (age unknown) uses her IPad to see pictures of her newest grandchildren as well as to keep up with her email. Maybe it’s having a “Just Do It” attitude in our household.
Let us know in the comment section below why you do or don’t use apps and why. I’m very interested and it is always relevant to me as this is my world. Is it yours?
