84% of South Africans ‘cannot live’ without their cell phone according to latest findings by market research company, Synovate.
Synovate interviewed metropolitan South Africans from the ages 16 and older, falling into LSMs 4 upwards about all things mobile: attitudes towards them, use (and abuse) of them, their mobile wishlists; as well as attitudes and knowledge about RICA and lastly Telkom’s anticipated entrance into the cell phone market. Respondents were interviewed face-to-face in the metropolitan areas of Johannesburg, Pretoria, Durban and Cape Town.
Highest dependency on their phones was reported in the 25 – 34 year old age group – 91% of which declared that they could not live without their cell phones, followed closely by 87% in the 16 – 24 age category. The older segment (50+) broke some stereotyping by falling close behind, with 84% not able to live without their phones.
“With the never-ceasing increase in functionality of cell phones, phones have gone far beyond calling, texting and taking photographs,” says Andries Lombaard, Client Services Director at Synovate. “They serve communication and information needs and definitely appeal to the need for expression and individuality amongst the younger generations.
