Results of a survey of Irish consumers about smartphones, apps and their preferences for the future. Research conducted by Amárach Research for Ulster Bank.

1. How ‘Appy’ Are the Irish?
A Presentation
Prepared with
Fleishman Hillard
May 2012
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2. Objectives & Methodology
The primary objective of the research was:
“To gain a better understanding of the attitudes and behaviours of
Smart Phone users towards mobile phone apps”.
An omnibus approach was utilised amongst an online sample of
984 adults aged 16+. Quotas were set in order to ensure the
sample was fully representative of the Irish population.
A total of 579 (59%) were Smart Phone users.
All research was carried out between Friday 13th and Tuesday 24th
April 2012.
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3. C. Profile of Sample – Smart Phone Users
(Base: All adults aged 16+ with a smart phone – 59%)
Gender Age Social Class Region
% % % %
18-24
Dublin
20
ABC1 32
Male
25-34 F50+ 49
55
27 Rest of
Leinster
35-44 25
22
45-54
Munster
Female C2DE 24
12 F50- 51
45
55+ Conn/
19 Ulster 19
Those with Smart Phones were predominately male, aged 25-34 and living in
Dublin.
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4. Smarter Than The Rest ………..
Approximately 3 in 5 Irish adults (59%) posses a Smart
Phone.
Q.1 Do you currently own a Smart Phone i.e. one which you can surf the internet, download apps etc.? 4

5. MAIN FINDINGS
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6. Smart Phone Users Have On Average, 22 Apps Each
(Base: All adults aged 16+ with a smart phone – 59%)
Q.2 In total; approximately how many apps do you have? 6

7. On Average, Approximately One Hour is Spent Using
Apps on A Daily Basis
(Base: All adults aged 16+ with a smart phone – 59%)
%
iPhone 3G 44%
01.01
Less than 10 Mins 14
Tuesday, April 24
11-30 Mins 25 63% Spend Up to
1 Hour Per Day 15-24 year olds spend
more time on their apps
31-59 Mins 24 – approximately 84
minutes per day while
45-54 year olds spend
the least amount of time
1-2 Hours 27
(43 minutes).
3-4 Hours 5
5+ Hours 3
Don’t use on a daily basis 12 slide to unlock
Average: 61 Minutes
Q.3 how much time do you spend using apps on a daily basis on your smart phone? 7

8. Smart Phone Users Have a Wide Variety of Apps on
Their Smart Phones
(Base: All adults aged 16+ with a smart phone – 59%)
Social News Map/travel Gaming Weather Music Photo/Video
Networks
Health & Sports Books/ Travel Work Related
Entertainment Banking/
Financial Fitness Reading
Utilities Education Lifestyle Reference Medical Productivity Catalogues
The majority (3 in 4) have a Social Networking app on their phone, circa 6 in 10 have
News, Maps/Travel, and Gaming. While over half have Weather, Music and Photo/Video. 1 in 3 have
a Banking/Financial app.
Q.4a Which of these types of apps do you have on your smart phone? 8

9. Social Networking Apps Are Preferred Given Almost
1 in 3 Claim They Could Not Live Without Them
(Base: All adults aged 16+ with a smart phone – 59%)
Social Networks
News Map/travel Gaming Music Photo/Video Banking/
Financial
Q.4b What one app could you not do without? #All other mentions 3% or less 9

10. Almost 3 in 5 Claim They Use Their Apps At Home
the Most
(Base: All adults aged 16+ with a smart phone – 59%)
When Out & On Public
At Home
About Transport
In the
In Work In the Car
Bathroom
Q.5 Where do you use apps the most? 10

11. Over Half Believe That Apps Have Made Their Life A
Lot Easier To Some Degree
(Base: All adults aged 16+ with a smart phone – 59%)
“I worry about the
“Apps have made my security of the
life a lot easier” information I provide
when using Apps”
% %
24 20
Strongly Agree (5)
53% 46%
26
Slightly Agree (4) 29
24
Neither/Nor (3) 24
20
Slightly Disagree (2) 18
Strongly Disagree (1) 5 10
Mean: 3.5 3.3
Q.6 How strongly would you agree/disagree with each statement? 11

12. 1 in 5 Are Unsure As To What Their ‘Dream’ App
Would Do – They Have Never Thought About It!
(Base: All adults aged 16+ with a smart phone – 59%)
Don’t know/never thought
about it 19 Visual dialogue 4
I don’t want one/need one 5 Everything 3
A household manager/home Give me the winning Lotto
budgeting/financial advice 5 numbers 3
All social networking apps in
Organise my day 4 one 2
Give me money/earn money 4 Household chores 2
Time, news, weather, sport 4 Show all special offers 2
Q.7 What would your dream app do? # All other mentions 1% or less 12

13. Half Claim That Their Main Financial Provider Offers A Banking
App; Of Which Half Use At Least Every Couple of Days
(Base: All adults aged 16+ with a smart phone – 59%)
Does your main financial
Frequency of using
institution provide a
Banking app
banking app?
% %
A couple of times a day 7
No
At least once a day 16
15%
50% Yes
Don’t know 35% Every couple of days 26
Once a week 16
Once every couple of weeks 6
Once a month 5
Lest often 6
Never 18
Q.8a Does your main financial institution provide a banking app?
Q.8b How often do you use this banking app to access your bank account? 13

14. A Preference For a Mobile Banking App to Make
Online Payments and Keep Track of Finances
(Base: All adults aged 16+ with a smart phone – 59%)
Make Online Keep Track Transfer
Payments of Finances Money
Pay for Goods & Services Top Up Apply for New
Directly in Shops Mobile Phone Products
Q.9 Which of the following would you like to be able to do with a banking app? 14

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