"We're Completely Lost Without Internet Access" Say Young People

Can you function without an internet connection? We’d hope so, but another study has emerged which has shown that young folks find net connectivity and smartphones are just as important as fresh air to breathe.

The survey of 2,000 smartphone users conducted by app maker Telenav found that no less than half of 18 to 24-year-olds said they’d feel “completely lost” if they were out and couldn’t get online.

A third of respondents in that age bracket also declared they would have no use for a phone which didn’t boast internet connectivity, and 37 per cent said they used their 3G/4G data connection more than any other feature of their handset.

46 per cent of Brits in this age bracket regularly use services that require an internet connection, the study found.

The most prevalent online activity for 18 to 24-year-olds is socialising, with 46 per cent staying in regular contact with friends using messaging apps. 30 per cent also said they’d get “frustrated” if they couldn’t access their social media accounts.

Marcus Thielking, CEO of Telenav, commented: “With so many apps placing a heavy or total reliance on an internet connection we’ve seen how problems can arise when you can’t get online – services that were previously taken for granted suddenly become all but useless, which could leave people in a tight spot.”

The research also noted that only half of Brits wear a watch these days – though smartwatches will of course be aiming to change that fact – and on average, we look at our phone once every 6 and a half minutes.