Smartphones now rival laptops in SA

According to the 2012 Cisco Connected World Technology Report, smartphones now rival laptops as the single most desired device by 18-30 year olds as they are seen as the most versatile and compact.

If they had to choose only one device, 28% of South African respondents preferred a smartphone, while 35% favoured a laptop. Tablets are not far behind: 24% of South African respondents would choose a tablet. But only 11% of South African respondents favoured desktop computers.

The results for SA are based on a survey commissioned by Cisco of 1 800 university students and young professionals aged 18 to 30 across 18 countries. The report examines how this generation uses the Internet and mobile devices to connect with the world around them, and reveals their behaviours, attitudes, issues, and concerns about the creation, access, management, and privacy of the enormous amounts of data being generated daily by smartphones, sensors, video cameras, monitors, and other connected devices.

"Mobile devices are just the beginning and only the tip of the iceberg - the world is only just beginning to reap the benefits of this ever-changing Internet era," says Alpheus Mangale, MD for Cisco in SA. "As more and more people, devices, sensors, crops, animals and other living things connect to the Internet, the volume and potential value of all the data generated by those connections will grow exponentially. Cisco believes that in the very near future, South African people and businesses will be able to take advantage of device-to-device communication to make decisions and deliver services and applications in real time."

* 64% of the South African respondents find themselves sub-consciously or compulsively checking their smartphones for e-mails, texts or social media updates.
* Of those, women are more driven to connect: 74% of women versus 58% of men find themselves often compulsively checking their cellphone for text, e-mails, social media updates.
* 44% of respondents would "feel anxious, like part of me was missing" if they couldn't check their smartphones or cellphones constantly.
* Of those compulsive smartphone users, 69% wish they didn't feel so compelled.

* Almost one third of IT professionals stated they check their smartphones 'continuously.'
* 40% of IT professionals check at least every 10 minutes.

* 71% of the respondents said mobile applications are important to their daily lives.
* More than half (51%) said they mainly use mobile applications for games and entertainment.
* One in five (21%) mainly use mobile applications for work.

Vendors advertise thousands of applications in their app stores, but are they being used? Of all those apps being downloaded daily, a surprisingly low number are actually used on a regular basis.

* The majority of the South African Gen Y respondents (81%) report using fewer than 10 smartphone apps regularly.

* Only 13% of respondents said they use 10 to 25 apps regularly.

A single mobile device will do, whether it is a personal device or a company-owned device, which can create challenges for the IT managers who must safeguard company assets and information.
* Almost one-third (32%) said their company's policy forbids them to use company-issued devices for non-work activities, yet 69% said they don't always obey those policies.

* In SA, 72% of information technology professionals believe employees are obeying policies designed to prevent work devices being used for personal use.

* 69% of South African 18-30-year-olds surveyed said they engage in online shopping.
* Over three out of five (65%) report they regularly rely on customer reviews when deciding on online purchases; an additional 28% consult online reviews occasionally.
* 59% - almost three out of five - are willing to share their e-mail address with stores and online sites in order to receive notices about discounts and sales. But they are wary of sharing much more than that - few are willing to share phone numbers, home address or other personal data.

* Facing the world: 95% of South African 18-30 year olds surveyed reported having a Facebook account.
* One-third of the respondents update their Facebook site at least once a day, and over a quarter (28%) update Facebook several times a day.
* 93% upload photos to share or store on Internet sites.
* 63% upload videos to share or store on Internet sites.
* 64% of respondents have a Twitter account, and 15% tweet at least once a day.

To see how Cisco is aligned with these findings visit the Cisco Expo 2013 South Africa site. The event takes place in Sun City from 3 to 5 March 2013, where Cisco will be showcasing all of its technology solutions.

Cisco Expo 2013 is a registration-only event. Those interested in attending Cisco Expo 2013 can register online by visiting: http://www.ciscoexpo.co.za.