Whether it’s on the train or in the gym, you’ll be hard-pressed to find a public area without someone looking at their smartphone.
A shocking new report has revealed the extent to which people now depend on their smartphones.
The report reveals some of the most inappropriate situations during which people have felt the need to look at their smartphone – including during sex, on the toilet, and even during a funeral.
Researchers from mobile connectivity firm, iPass, surveyed more than 1,700 people in the US and Europe about their connectivity habits, preferences and expectations.
They found people are so dependent on their smartphones, and in particular Wi-Fi, that they’ll happily break social etiquette to use them.
Patricia Hume, Chief Commercial Officer at iPass said: ‘You might expect to feel anxious before a first date or during a big presentation, but it seems that the simple prospect of not being connected to Wi-Fi is enough to set people on edge.
‘If there were any doubt, our report proves that social etiquette is a thing of the past when it comes to smartphone use.
‘Technology, and particularly smartphones have become an integral part of our lives, so much so, that there’s no scenario in which people won’t check their phone.
‘Moreover, they expect to be connected to Wi-Fi when they do it.’
The survey revealed some of the most inappropriate situations in which people have felt the need to check their phone – during sex (seven per cent), on the toilet (72 per cent) and even during a funeral (11 per cent).
Nearly two thirds of people said they felt anxious when not connected to the Wi-Fi, with many saying they’d give up a range of items and activities in exchange for a connection.
Sixty-one per cent of respondents said that Wi-Fi was impossible to give up – more than for sex (58 per cent), junk food (42 per cent), smoking (41 per cent), alcohol (33 per cent), or drugs (31 per cent).
A quarter of respondents even went so far as to say that they’d choose Wi-Fi over a bath or shower, and 19 per cent said they’d choose Wi-Fi over human contact.
Ms Hume said: ‘Mobile professionals crave Wi-Fi and believe it harder to quit than even the most addictive habits, from smoking to junk food.
‘They will use dozens of public Wi-Fi hotspots every month, and some would even choose it above basic hygiene or human contact.
‘Clearly Wi-Fi increasingly influences how we work, our behaviour and even the decisions we make, hotels being a great example.
‘Getting a room with a view is no longer the be-all and end-all; mobile workers just want to be connected.’
