With the dramatic spread of smart phones and pads, distinct media utilization behavior has emerged. When it comes to using smart devices, contextual factors including temporal, spatial and behavioral components are closely related. In the same vein, s...
With the dramatic spread of smart phones and pads, distinct media utilization behavior has emerged. When it comes to using smart devices, contextual factors including temporal, spatial and behavioral components are closely related. In the same vein, smart devices play versatile roles as information producers beyond information receivers, i. e. handling reports/minutes and SNS-based disaster notice. Moreover, users are free to organize applications on their smart devices to suit their tastes. To investigate empirically the changing trends among media users phenomenally observed, this study collected the application logs of smart phone/pad users and analyzed general characteristics, context, information production, application organization and typology.
The data analyzed for this study were the 5-day usage logs out of 7-day logs collected with 37 smart phones and 35 smart pads among 55(males and females) users in their 20s to 30s. As for the method, the usage logs of test applications installed in subjects’ smart devices were collected. Based on the usage logs of the subjects, their usage behavior was classified on the web site. Further, to determine the contextual factors beyond the scope of the logs, each subject was asked to keep a log for 2 days.
The analysis of general characteristics of smart device users found that smart phones were used for short but frequent communication, whereas smart pads for relatively long but occasional information search. Besides, in terms of the frequency and time of usage depending on sub-divisions of applications, three types were observed. First, SNS and map/traffic apps were diversely used on smart phones in regard of frequency and time of usage. Second, game/entertainment and shopping were found less affected by smart devices in that no differences were observed relevant to frequency and time of usage. Third, in view of multimedia and living/culture, smart phones concentrated on the axis of the frequency of usage, whilst smart pads were predominant on the axis of the time of usage.
As for contextual characteristics of usage, smart phones showed certain frequency of usage in the afternoon, while smart pad usage decreased at lunch time and 8-9 pm, indicating difference in usage. Smart phones showed different frequency of usage in the afternoon depending on occupations and weekdays/weekends, whereas smart pads did not. In light of spatial characteristics, smart phones were used in a third space other than living space without interference of other media, whilst smart pads were mostly used in the first space, or at home, mostly in parallel with other media. Concerning behavioral characteristics, smart phone users used certain applications irrespective of behavior, while smart pad users strategically selected different kinds of applications following behavior.
With reference to information production, smart phones produced more information than smart pads, which implies that smart phones were used as a productive device. Distinct characteristics of information production were found between two devices in that smart phones served mostly for texting/messenger, finance, multimedia and map/traffic, whereas smart pads for SNS, email, biz/productivity and education.
From the perspective of application organization, 28 and 18 repertoires on average were found on smart phones and pads, respectively, where the figures did not show any differences depending on demographics, which means they can be considered the number of applications used on each device in general. Given the types of application use, both smart phones and pads showed high percentages of forming multiple matrices, which was significant depending on different demographics and OS rather than different devices. 5 types were observed in terms of how to configure and use matrices among those who used both devices simultaneously: ‘1 device only’ type for those who used only one device mostly; ‘1 category only’ type for those who used just one category of applications on both devices; ‘role distribution’ type for those who used different applications on each device; ‘interest supplement’ type for those who used one device mostly along with the other one as a complementary tool in relation to the field of interest; and ‘low use’ type for those who hardly used either device.
The present study is the first attempt to analyze the usage logs of smart phones and pads, which is likely to provide significant implications for future further studies and relevant industries regarding diverse aspects of smart device usage.