Understanding and Comparing Smartphone and Tablet Use: Insights from a Large-Scale Diary Study
Venue
Proceedings of the 27th Australian Computer-Human Interaction Conference (OzCHI 2015), ACM, New York, NY, USA, pp. 427-436
Publication Year
2015
Authors
Hendrik Müller, Jennifer L. Gove, John S. Webb, Aaron Cheang
BibTeX
Abstract
In recent years, smartphone and tablet ownership has shown continued growth;
however, there is a lack of research thoroughly investigating the use of these
devices within the general public. This paper describes a large-scale diary study
with U.S. mobile device owners, examining details of smartphone and tablet use.
Results provide a comprehensive breakdown of frequent activities and contexts of
use, highlighting key differences in smartphone and tablet use. Activities on
smartphones were found to be dominated by communication needs, while tablets were
frequently used for consumption and entertainment. Both devices were most often
used at home, with tablets rarely leaving the home. Within the home, smartphones
were used mostly in the bedroom, and tablets in the living room. Both devices were
used frequently while doing something else, such as using tablets primarily while
watching TV. Conclusions discuss implications for enriching the experience of
mobile devices and opportunities for future research.
