Why Developing for Smartphones First Is a Smart Thing

Did you know that the average smartphone user looks at his or her phone 46 times a day?

A recent study by Deloitte revealed that Americans altogether check their smartphones upwards of 8 billion times a day. That’s billion with a B, which is an aggregate number of instances all Americans throughout the country look at their mobile devices on a daily basis.

According to an article in TIME Magazine titled “Americans Check Their Phones 8 Billion Times a Day”, they reported that smartphone users between the ages of 18 and 24 look at their phones most often, with an average of 74 checks per day. Americans in the 25-34 age bracket look at their devices 50 times per day, and those between 35 and 44 do so 35 times each day.

Additionally, of those surveyed across all age groups, the majority said they look at their phones within five minutes of waking up, while 26% of those in the 18-24 age range said they do so immediately upon waking up.

And what about once they are out of bed?

The article states that most people check their phones while shopping, watching television, and during leisure time, but that a whopping 81% of Americans spend time looking at their phones while dining out in restaurants.

Probably checking the latest restaurant review app, you think?

You can read the complete Time Magazine article here.

So when you’re beginning your next web project, you should always consider designing for the smartphone user first, and then accommodate the desktop experience. Unfortunately, many projects, especially small business owner projects, fail to take into account the importance of the smartphone user experience in the initial planning and design phase.