It should come as little surprise, but smartphones are still king of the hill when it comes to consumer electronics.

According to a new CNN survey, which polled an international audience of consumers from 70 countries, smartphones emerged as being the number one consumer device.

The smartphone is apparently favoured over tablets, notebooks, portable music players, e-readers, digital cameras and handheld games consoles on flights, in business meetings, by the poolside on holiday and while watching TV at home.

The survey found that in business scenarios, 61% of executives were more likely to turn on and tap away at their smartphone, rather than relying on traditional computing mainstays like notebook computers and the current darling of the tech world, tablets.

Live with it

In the living room, smartphones reigned supreme as well. The survey found that 60% of users were found to turn on and tune into their smartphone while watching TV, while only 41% and 38% turned to their notebooks and tablets respectively while watching a movie.

 

What’s more, smartphones have apparently cornered users’ attention when they are on holiday. 63% of respondents to the survey indicated that their device of choice is their constant companion when relaxing by the poolside, beating out the popularity of the digital camera (48%) and the portable music player (46%).

 

In fact, interestingly enough, the poolside emerged as the prime location respondents tended to engage with their smartphone.

 

 

“This survey shows the undeniable versatility of the smartphone, used almost ubiquitously in any given situation; even in locations like the lounge room where entertainment screens compete simultaneously for eyeballs,” commented Didier Mormesse Senior VP, Research, CNN International.

 

“These results have interesting implications for any brand competing for consumer attention on electronic devices at a time when multi-tasking has clearly become commonplace in situations as disparate as the boardroom and the beach,” he added.

 

The survey also revealed that connectivity is now so commonplace that the risk of disconnection anxiety is high, with half of the respondents (49%) agreeing that they "feel uncomfortable if I am ever out of broadband/Wi-Fi/3G reach." Meanwhile, one third (34%) are perfectly happy to be off-the-net, claiming that "I cherish the times when I'm out of broadband/Wi-Fi/3G reach and can't be disturbed by calls or email."

 

 

The survey only cemented the point made by Qualcomm at its Innovation Qualcomm event, held recently in Berlin. There, the statistics revealed that the use of mobile devices (including smartphones) were growing and expanding exponentially.

 

However, Qualcomm noted that smartphones had far reaching impact on the technology landscape, and the ways in which mobile technology could be used to enhance users’ lives moving forward. Clearly, a phone is no longer just a phone. Rather, it is a constant – some would argue too constant – and consistent companion of modern day life.