How Many Connected Devices Does a Person Really Need?

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VoIP_News Jan 23

The average American owns one and a half wireless devices. When you factor in the number of people who don’t have a personal device, many people own more devices to make up for those who don’t! That means that well over 200 million people in the United States own multiple devices. This number is closer to 2 devices for the rest of the world.

Why the Need for Multiple Devices?

With the growing trend in Bring Your Own Device (BYOD); multiple operating system platforms (Google Android, Apple iOS, Windows); school, university, and work requirements; along with the different functionality among tablets and smart phones, the reason is clear: Many organizations issue tablets or smart phones to their employees to maximize the amount of time they stay connected to the network. BYOD, telecommuting, and remote work has been a growing trend, even marketed in some organizations as part of a benefits package for those who must travel several miles to the office.

With BYOD, employees are allowed to use their personal devices to check work e-mail, review documents, complete their time card, and several other work-related functions as long as the device has been approved and security measures applied. Some employees prefer to use their own device because they favor the operating platform over what’s on a work-issued device. This adds to the number of devices people own, because they may be required to purchase a separate device for work even though their organization pays for the service.

Many large colleges and universities are requiring students to purchase a laptop or tablet as part of the standard list of school supplies. Some universities no longer offer paper textbooks for classes but instead require electronic versions, basically forcing students to purchase a device to perform their school work. In many cases, the number of open computer labs on campus pales in comparison with the number of students attending the university.

With various functions, programs, and operating systems available on a multitude of personal devices, a mobile consumer may be tempted to purchase multiple devices to ensure that they gain all the functionality they need from their mobile technology. E-readers are a great example of why some people may own a mobile device as well as a tablet or smart phone. Amazon Kindle offers thousands of e-books users can purchase and download on a small tablet. Although excellent for this purpose, a mobile user may need to expand his or her mobile device functionality to another device.

Growing Trends in Business and Service

With the cost and ease of establishing a Web site, many small businesses are joining the growing technology trends. Many Web hosting companies are offering bundled packages where companies can add a mobile version of a Web site. This opportunity can contribute to the number of consumers who own mobile devices. By expanding the demographic for businesses that may not have had a need to conduct business online, the number of people who didn’t have smart phones or other personal devices has grown, as well.

Many pay-as-you-go cellular companies offer low-cost smart phones, eliminating long-term contract commitments, as well as a viable mobile solution to lower-income customers. Those customers who don’t mind long-term contacts with wireless service providers may elect to upgrade to a smart phone for a discounted price or even upgrade for free.

Different functionality, multiple operating systems, growing trends in work and school, and the low cost of certain mobile devices drive the need and desire to own multiple connected personal devices. It is almost impossible to avoid wireless technology, and rather than spite it, many people choose to embrace it. Many people benefit from having multiple personal devices because they make it easier to stay connected.