Starting with ‘smart TV’, YouGov says that only 15% of UK consumers say they will own one within the next 12 months. A multi-country study was carried out in November 2011 with almost 13,000 respondents and the full findings on technology device ownership, content and attitudes is due for full release in Q1 2012.

As we’ve covered heavily over the past few weeks, the TV set will soon become a key device that people use to access internet content either directly via a games console (such as the Xbox 360) or other ‘plug-in’ box such as Boxee or YouView (a new partnership between major broadcasters such as the BBC and Channel Four as well as BT).

Inthe area of smartphones, YouGov says that 86% of smartphone users ignore advertising on mobiles. YouGov’s Smartphone Mobile Internet Experience study tracks consumer experience of smartphones, mobile internet and applications, quarterly. The next wave of the tracker begins in December 2011 with a report due in January 2012.

Now on the surface this conflicts with recent IAB research that suggests 82% of smartphone users and 73% of tablet owners they wsurveyed (a total of 600 people) said that not paying a subscription but having advertising on mobile websites was the preferred approach.

With regards to radio, YouGov says that just over one in five (22%) of 18-24 year olds have listened to the radio via a portable radio set (including DAB). However, over one third (38%) of this age group has listened to radio streamed over the internet.

Finally, tablets. Russell Feldman, associate director of technology at YouGo says that nearly one quarter (24%) of tablet users access the internet in bed – which supports another suggestion from IAB that tablets are the ideal ‘downtime device.

IAB stats from last month claim that more than 50% of tablet interactions were found to take place in the late evening (between 7 - 12pm) resulting in tablets being the most used device amongst owners in the evening. Tablet usage then accelerates during the weekends with 25% of respondents choosing to use their device during their downtime and 49% agreeing the tablet is the device that best allows them to be entertained.

More at: http://econsultancy.com/uk/blog/8542-yougov-releases-consumer-predictions-for-2012

Over a quarter of adults (27 per cent) and almost half of teenagers (47 per cent) now own a smartphone, according to Ofcom’s latest Communications Market Report.  

Most (59 per cent) have acquired their smartphone, which includes devices such as iPhones, Blackberrys and Android phones, over the past year. 

Users make significantly more calls and send more texts than regular mobile users (81 per cent of smartphone users make calls every day compared with 53 per cent of ‘regular’ users). 

Teenagers especially are ditching more traditional activities in favour of their smartphone, with 23 per cent claiming to watch less TV and 15 per cent admitting they read fewer books.

And when asked about the use of these devices, 37 per cent of adults and 60 per cent of teens admit they are ‘highly addicted’.   

In the bathroom and at the dinner table

The rapid growth in the use of smartphones – which offer internet access, email and a variety of internet-based applications – is changing the way many of us, particularly teenagers, act in social situations.

The vast majority of smartphone users (81 per cent) have their mobile switched on all of the time, even when they are in bed, with four in ten adults (38 per cent) and teens (40 per cent) admitting using their smartphone after it woke them.

Over half (51 per cent) of adults and two thirds (65 per cent) of teenagers say they have used their smartphone while socialising with others, nearly a quarter (23 per cent) of adults and a third (34 per cent) of teenagers have used them during mealtimes and over a fifth (22 per cent) of adult and nearly half (47 per cent) of teenage smartphone users admitted using or answering their handset in the bathroom or toilet.

Teenagers are also more likely to use their smartphone in places they’ve been asked to switch their phone off such as the cinema or library – with 27 per cent admitting doing so, compared with 18 per cent of adults.

More at: http://consumers.ofcom.org.uk/2011/08/a-nation-addicted-to-smartphones/