20 years ago it was a complement, a novelty, a useful element but to be used when necessary and thus avoid the pilgrimage by looking for a telephone box. 14 years ago, mobile phones became ‘smart’, going from being an accessory to a very useful item for everyday life.
And today, the mobile is an extension of its owner, A device so essential, that if we notice that it is low on battery and we cannot charge it, we panic. At least that says This survey.
Anxiety about not being able to charge the mobile
A study carried out by the Chinese technology brand Oppo -whose mobile phones are also sold in the West and increasingly- to a sample of 1,556 Spaniards through the Toluna Start platform, yields some interesting results that highlight the enormous dependence that many people have on the smartphone.
And it is that nothing less than 65% of those surveyed say that it generates anxiety if their mobile charge level drops too low when they are away from home. In contrast, 30% only care about this inconvenience in situations such as being waiting for a call or having ordered a taxi.
Less than 20%
The study has also analyzed charging habits, and:
- Half of the Spanish do not like to stay with less than 20% battery, so they charge it daily
- More than a third only plug it in when the mobile warns of low battery
- 10% of those surveyed charge it when the battery is over 5%
- 3% of users rush to the end
- 1% charge it when turned off
- Another 1% do not pay attention because their mobile has ultra-fast charge.
Spaniards tend to leave home with their mobile 100% charged when they know they are going to spend the day outside, but they are divided into two groups: those who trust it to last all day and those who carry a charger to plug it in wherever and whenever can:
- 23% say they carry an external battery to charge their mobile
- 21% of users activate the energy saving mode
- 9% percent carry other devices that allow reversible charging
- 7% percent put it into airplane mode at times – a mode that blocks incoming signals and greatly extends the smartphone’s battery.
Chargers
- 23% of Spaniards always carry a charger in their bag or backpack
- 34% carry a charger in the car, and more women carry it with them and more men carry it in the car
- 25% have a charger at work
- And 91% percent at home – what happens to the remaining 8% who don’t have a charger at home is a mystery
When charging the mobile:
- 50% use the factory charger and are reluctant to use other
- 15% use anyone, although they know it is not the right thing to do
- 10% also use any, but they really don’t care
- 3% of Spaniards use wireless charging
- 97% use USB cable or reversible charge.
And what happens just when the battery is already running low? Well what:
- 31% of people turn off their mobile until the exact moment they have to use it
- 18% disable data transfer
- 15% ask for a charger
- Another 15% buy one.
As collateral damage,l 13% of those surveyed had their mobile battery run out at some time while they were in the middle of an important call; the 11% missed an appointment due to not being able to notify that he would be late or had no purchase at the supermarket because he could not pay for it; 9% could not pay for the taxi and the 5% could not get on the plane or train because the battery ran out right at that precise moment.
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