Smartphone Application Usage Amongst Students at a South African University

Abstract

Abstract: This study assesses the usage of smartphone applications and specifically social networking applications (SNS) amongst smartphone users, due to the perceived high-level of usage amongst University Students. Questionnaires were derived from the literature, and used to assess the frequency and intensity of application usage. The data was analysed looking at key applications and frequency/intensity of usage. It was found that the students that were questioned at this university, spend an average of five hours per day on their smartphones interacting with others via SNS, and remain online for about 16 hours per day. The students that were sampled preferred to communicate using SNS. These students appear to use sms for close friends only, and phonecalls for loved ones and family; possibly due to the high cost of sms ’ and phonecalls in South Africa compared to the low cost of SNS. Students use SNS predominantly for Facebook, Facebook chat and Blackberry Messenger (BB users) in order to update their profiles, chat with friends, and look at their friends ’ profiles and statuses. Future studies should investigate what motivates students to spend such an inordinate amount of time with SNS apps, and which Apps are long term favourites in the race for market leading SNS App.