A 2014 study by Ofcom has suggested that Britons spend more time using technology devices than we do sleeping. The results state that, on average, UK adults spend eight hours and 41 minutes using tech (texting, talking, typing, gaming, listening or watching), compared to the average of eight hours and 21 minutes spent sleeping. The average daily figures suggested that we spread our time as follows:
- 3 hours and 52 minutes – watching television
- 2 hours and 46 minutes – listening to radio
- 1 hour and 8 minutes – on the internet (PC/laptop)
- 28 minutes – using a mobile phone
- 9 minutes – talking on a landline phone
In addition, younger people were found to have a startlingly advanced understanding of technology, with six-year-olds demonstrating the same level of knowledge as the average 45-year-old. The poll also indicated that young people aged between 16-24 are more likely to use multiple tech devices at the same time, increasing their daily use to 14 hours and 7 minutes in a period of just over nine hours.
The film “Back To The Future II” eerily predicted several technology uses for 2015 including; a popularity for 3D films, wall mounted flat screen TVs, wireless video games, video conferencing and even handheld tablet computers, all of which are common tech in 2014. Having gone beyond the realms thought possible by a 1985 sci-fi film, could it be possible that we are reaching the peak of our technology level and use?
Expert, Ian Maude, from media research firm Enders Analysis, said “Television is still king when it comes to media consumption but an increasing share is viewed via catch-up or on-demand especially amongst the YouTube generation.” But he also added that “it’s still early in the digital revolution.”
Is there a way to predict the next trend of the continuing tech revolution? Ofcom’s research suggests that if we want to see the future, we should look at the habits of Britain’s 14 and 15 year olds.
Einstein once said “I fear the day that technology will surpass our human interaction. The world will have a generation of idiots”, but we don’t agree. We think that the use of technology in this modern age is much better encapsulated by the following quote from Steve at Microsoft.
“The number one benefit of information technology is that it empowers people to do what they want to do. It lets people be creative. It lets people be productive. It lets people learn things they didn’t think they could learn before, and so in a sense it is all about potential.”