How teenagers are using technology in their social lives? - ConsumerLab Ericsson

ConsumerLab reportTalking,texting,pokinganddatingHow teenagers are usingtechnology in their social lives

IntroductionHow do teenagers prefer to communicate and socialize with each other? At Ericsson,we think their behavior has important implications for the future of devices and technology.In 2011, Ericsson ConsumerLab carried out research into what those implications will be.The research focused on US teenagers aged between 13 two-hour-long interviews. The survey sample was selectedand 17 The quantitative part of the research consisted of . to be representative of the entire US, and the behavioralmost 2,000 online surveys, and involved a representative reported is similar to that in many other countries.sample of 20 million people between 13 and 17 years ofage. The research took place between June and November This brochure presents some initial findings of the research.2011.The qualitative element of the research consisted of twoparts. In the first, one-hour-long interviews wereconducted with 32 respondents from Long Island, NewYork. Following this, 12 of the teenagers were selected for Ericsson ConsumerLab – the voice of the consumer Ericsson ConsumerLab is a knowledge-based research, and hundreds of hours of in-depth interviews organization that provides consumer insight to and focus groups with consumers from different influence strategy, marketing and product cultures. This research includes general market and management within the Ericsson Group. Ericsson consumer trends and in-depth insights into specific ConsumerLab has more than 15 years’ experience areas. in consumer research, which involves studying people’s values and behaviors, including the way To be close to the market and consumers, Ericsson they act and think about ICT products and ConsumerLab has team members in most of Ericsson’s services. This knowledge helps operators develop market regions. Being part of the Ericsson Group gives attractive revenue-generating services. the organization a thorough understanding of the ICT market and business models. This broad knowledge The knowledge is gained through a global research is unique and is the basis for credibility and integrity. program based on annual interviews with 100,000 Ericsson ConsumerLab sees the big picture, individuals in more than 40 countries and 10 megacities understands where the individual fits in, and knows – statistically representing the views of 1.1 billion people. what this means for future trends and services. This is based on both quantitative and qualitativeConsumerLab – Social Life Of The Young 2

Highlights > Texting on the phone is great, but nothing beats meeting face-to-face > Facebook gets lots of ‘likes’ – but it is just a tool > Video chat is growing – 23 percent say usage is up on last year Ownership levels for smartphones and regular phones are interested in getting a smartphone, if they don’t already the same for 17-year-olds, but 13-year-olds are much more have one. The same applies to tablets. Ownership levels for smartphones and regular phones Ownership levels for tablets, laptops and desktops Slide titlee title 70 minimum 32 pt 9032 pt (32 pt makes 2 rows)ows) 80 60 Text and bullet level 1 vel 1 minimum 24 pt 70 24 pt 50 Bullets level 2-5el 2-5 60 minimum 20 pt 20 pt Tablet 40 Regular ›!"# $%&()*+,- 50 ./0123456789:;<=>?@ABCDEFGHIJKLMNO KLMNO mobile phone PQRSTUVWXYZ[]^_àbcdefghijklmno Laptop % %klmno pqrstuvwxyz{|}~¡¢£¤¥¦§¨©ª«¬®¯°±²³´¶·¸¹º °±²³´¶·¸¹º »¼½ÀÁÂÃÄÅÆÇÈËÌÍÎÏÐÑÒÓÔÕÖ×ØÙÚÛÜ×ØÙÚÛÜ ö÷øùú 30 ÝÞßàáâãäåæçèéêëìíîïðñòóôõö÷øùú 40 ûüýþÿĀāĂăąĆćĊċČĎďĐđĒĖėĘęĚěĞğĠġ ĚěĞğĠġ ĢģĪīĮįİıĶķĹĺĻļĽľŁłŃńŅņŇňŌŐőŒœŔŕŖ DesktopŒœŔŕŖŶŷŸŹźŻż Smartphone ŗŘřŚśŞşŠšŢţŤťŪūŮůŰűŲųŴŵŶŷŸŹźŻż ŽžƒȘ ș ˆˇ˘˙˚˛˜˝ẀẁẃẄẅỲỳ–— ‘’‚“”„†‡•…‰‹›⁄€™−≤≥fifl 30 20 20 10 10 0 0 Boys Boys Boys Boys Boys Girls Girls Girls Girls Girls Boys Boys Boys Boys Boys Girls Girls Girls Girls Girls 13 14 15 16 17 13 14 15 16 17 13 14 15 16 17 13 14 15 16 17 Source: Ericsson Source: Ericsson r text Source: Ericsson add objects or text Do not Source: Ericsson area in the footer area The common usage of texting and Facebook has changed Another obvious shift is the fact that changing your the dynamics of teenage dating. The biggest changes can Facebook relationship status to “in a relationship” or be seen in the courting process where the goal is to ask “single” is now seen by friends as the official declaration. the other person out on a date. However teenagers still meet potential romantic partners face-to-face. Teenage dating timeline Goal to get Send friend Friend Chat via Goal to get Plan to set Date Relationship the name request request Facebook phone up a date alone declared on accepted messenger number Facebook Beginning Meet in of the person relationship Look them Check out Like or Chat via Start to Date, but Girl sends up on the other’s Poke Facebook text not alone relationship Facebook profile request Source: Ericsson Source: Ericsson ConsumerLab – Social Life Of The Young 3

FIRST FACE-TO-FACE.TEXT COMES NEXT> Use of home phone falling and Facebook, texting and mobile phone use is rising> 53 percent say their calls last less than four minutes> In-real-life best for getting the big pictureIn an era of online social networking, it may come as a make brief calls: on average, 53 percent (or moresurprise that teenagers’ preferred form of communication specifically, 59 percent of boys, and 47 percent of girls) saydoesn’t rely on technology. Asked what form of their calls last less than four minutes.communication they would miss most if it were takenaway, the vast majority of respondents replied “face-to- Regardless of teenagers’ communication preferences, inface.” Less than half as many said they would miss the 12 months preceding the research, use of hometexting the most, putting it in second place. Meanwhile, telephones among those questioned decreased, while theFacebook use came in as only the fourth most popular, use of chat (such as AOL Instant Messenger) remainedafter talking on the mobile phone. the same. By contrast, 49 percent of teenagers reported an increased use of Facebook, 45 percent said they were now using text more, 44 percent said mobile-phone usage was up, and 23 percent said they were engaging in more video chat.“We will always have texting, just as ourparents will always have voice calls.” Lisa, 16 years old Communication methods that teenagers would miss Meet “in person” 58 8 10Meeting IRL (in real life) is best because it provides the Texting 26 28 17complete context, including body language and non-verbal cues. This is especially important considering the Talk on the mobile phone 5 26 26way teenagers often use sarcasm. Texting remains theteenager’s tool of choice when face time isn’t an option. Facebook 5 13 19In fact, it dominates high-school kids’ social lives. One ofthe reasons is convenience – it allows them to Talk on the home telephone 1 12 7communicate while multitasking. They are able to send atext to friends between classes, at parties, out shopping, E-mail 14 9and at home while doing chores or watching TV – it does Miss the mostnot interrupt the flow of their lives. Video chat (for example, ooVoo, Skype) 13 6 Second most missed Third most missed Chat (for example, AOL instant messaging) 122Voice calls, on the other hand, are considered by teenagersto be more suitable for adults. Unsure about the unwritten Twitter 11 1rules of phone conversation, teens find it difficult to dealwith “awkward pauses” on the phone, so they tend to Source: Ericsson Source: EricssonConsumerLab – Social Life Of The Young 4

ON CAMERA:VIDEO CHAT AGROWING TREND> Teens expected to continue video chat into later life> More than a third say they use video chat for homework> 83 percent of video-chat users use it at least once a weekThe use of video chat is on the rise among teenagers. It During video chat, the most popular way of using thecombines their increasing use of digital technology with service is to actively chat with the other person, but it isthe desire for face-to-face interaction, and is used when also common for users to do homework or chores at themeeting friends in person is impossible because of the same time, to chat occasionally or simply “hang out.”distance separating them, or parental restrictions. This is Users who interact with more than one person at a timereflected by the statistics, which show that 13- to tend to use ooVoo instead of Skype, and to be young15-year-olds – who are more subject to parental girls. More than a third of the participants in the studyrestrictions than older teenagers – are the main users of also reported using video chat to collaborate onvideo chat. homework.Of those who have started using video chat, 57 percent It is expected that teens will carry the use of video chatuse it after school a few times a week, while 83 percent – and texting – into later life stages.do so after school about once a week. How teenagers use video chat“Video chat – it’s like having yourfriends sitting on the desk.” Total 40 23 22 23 16 Victoria, 15 years old Boy 33 26 23 23 18 Girl 45 22 21 24 15 Base: Using video chatting Talk the whole time Talk now and then Just hang out While on a session do other things simultaneously like chores, homework, listening to music and so on Source: Ericsson Source: EricssonConsumerLab – Social Life Of The Young 5

FACEBOOK:LOTS OF ‘LIKES’ BUTIT’S JUST A TOOL> Average number of Facebook friends is 265> But having more than 350 is seen as ‘strange’> Teenager and adult usage differsIn a teenage context, the concept of social media other friends at parties, and to exchange names rathereffectively means Facebook. But while teenagers like it, than phone numbers with them. However, teenagers dothey could live without it. They simply see it as a tool that not become Facebook friends with complete strangers,– as a complement to texting – is another way to connect and having too many Facebook friends (the average forwith their friends. The number of Facebook friends they the upper limit was 352) is considered strange.have is much larger than those listed as contacts on theirmobile phones. This contains an average of 55 contacts The research also highlights differences in the waysas opposed to the average of 265 friends they have on teenagers and adults use Facebook. While adults tend toFacebook. use it to exchange information by making statements, teenagers express themselves through song lyrics andTeenagers are likely to have all the students from their movie quotes. Teenagers also use Facebook emotionally,grade as Facebook friends, whether or not they have as an extension of their real-life relationships, whereasmutual interests. It is common among teenagers to adults use it more rationally as a substitute for otherbecome Facebook friends with people they meet through forms of communication.Frequency with which activites are performed on Facebook % share at least weekly Use the “Like” button 18 16 25 12 12 5 2 9 71 Look at other people’s proﬁles 18 18 22 13 12 7 3 6 71 Update my status 16 13 22 12 13 10 6 7 63 Write comments on 15 19 25 13 11 5 3 7 1 72 other people’s wallsWrite personal messages 14 14 21 14 13 6 4 10 63 Base: Using Facebook All the time Every day Several times a week Every week Several times a month Every month Once or twice a year More seldom / never Source: EricssonConsumerLab – Social Life Of The Young 6

Same needs,different tools> The phone is a social tool, like smoking once was> Expectations are different in today’s digital age> ooVoo is an emerging social toolTeenage communication behavior is based around the Social Toolsneed to belong and be significant. A social tool mustsupport fundamental emotional drivers, but will change keep Facebook SMS/Text Cardepending on the life stage of the user. changing ooVoo Voice Mobile phone BBM Smoking BikeYoung people create or adopt their own social tools –which should ideally exclude their parents and oldergenerations. Smoking was once a social tool, a way ofbelonging. These days, with smoking increasingly Social Spaceunpopular, technology – and particularly the mobile based around interestsphone – are seen as the most popular social tools. stays and activities the sameBut predicting the future of teenage communication has Fundamental emotional driversless to do with identifying the tools than identifying howthey fulfill their emotional needs. These needs remain Belonging & Signiﬁcanceconstant over time and drive behaviors that in turn leadpeople to discover social tools and create social spaces. A Social tool needs to support the fundamental emotional driversTeenagers develop a sense of belonging through sharedemotions rather than shared tools or activities. Source: Ericsson Source: EricssonIn this research we have identified that ooVoo is anemerging social tool among teenagers, while texting andFacebook remained as the main social tools. Texting is akey social tool for US teenagers in high school, whileother markets and cultures find their own, often local,equivalents to fulfill the same fundamental emotionalneeds.Behaviors are dynamic, and shift as people enterdifferent life stages. Teenagers eventually start to usecommunication tools in the same way as adults do asthey get older.They will continue to use “their” tools such as texting,Facebook and video chat, but at the same time, theyunderstand the need to use voice and e-mail as theymove into the next stage of their lives.ConsumerLab – Social Life Of The Young 7

Ericsson is the world’s leading provider of technology and services to telecom operators. Ericsson isthe leader in 2G, 3G and 4G mobile technologies, and provides support for networks with over2 billion subscribers and has the leading position in managed services. The company’s portfoliocomprises mobile and fixed network infrastructure, telecom services, software, broadband andmultimedia solutions for operators, enterprises and the media industry. The Sony Ericsson andST-Ericsson joint ventures provide consumers with feature-rich personal mobile devices.Ericsson is advancing its vision of being the “prime driver in an all-communicating world” throughinnovation, technology, and sustainable business solutions. Working in 180 countries, more than100,000 employees generated revenue of SEK 203.3 billion (USD 28.2 billion) in 2010. Founded in1876 with the headquarters in Stockholm, Sweden, Ericsson is listed on NASDAQ OMX, Stockholmand NASDAQ New York.The content of this document is subject to revision withoutnotice due to continued progress in methodology, design andmanufacturing. Ericsson shall have no liability for any error ordamage of any kind resulting from the use of this documentEricssonFor further information, please contactEricsson Corporate Public & Media RelationsPhone: +46 10 719 60 92 EN/LZT 138 0757 R1AEmail: media.relations@ericsson.com © Ericsson AB 2012

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How teenagers are using technology in their social lives? - ConsumerLab Ericsson

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