People twice as likely to use social media on smartphones than on tablets
People who browse on smartphones are more than twice as likely as tablet users to engage in social networking activity, such as Facebook and LinkedIn, suggests Flash Networks.
Conversely, the study into mobile behaviour found that tablet users are more likely to shop online and browse news sites than smartphone users.
Based on mobile Internet traffic data retrieved from operators in Western Europe and Asia during March of 2013, it was found that people who browse on tablets are twice as likely to go to shopping sites, and three times more likely to browse news sites than people who browse on smartphones.
Overall, the research has suggested that although tablets are also a mobile device, consumers tend to behave more like PC users than smartphone users when they browse shopping and news sites.
Yet, when it comes to checking in and updating social networks, people are more likely to do so on the move, using a smaller device.
"We are continuously evolving our analytics to help operators have a greater understanding of application level trends and subscriber behaviour,” said Merav Bahat, vice president of marketing and business development at Flash Networks.
Bahat explained: “Mobile operators are currently in a position to share valuable information about subscriber preferences that can unlock the key to realising the potential of mobile advertising.”