For the first time, smartphones have become the main device to access the internet in the U.K. A third (33 percent) of internet users have made their smartphone their go-to device when they want to surf the internet, compared to 30 percent who still use their laptops, according to industry monitor Ofcom’s 2015 Communications Market Report. (via The Next Web)

There has been a clear increase in the split between smartphones and laptops from last year’s study, which saw only 22 percent using their smartphone to access the internet, while the laptop continued to dominate with 40 percent.

This increase is mainly due to an increase in 4G mobile broadband, with subscriptions during 2014 leaping to 23.6 million. When compared to non-4G users, smartphone users with 4G are shopping and banking online more, as well as watching more TV and video clips, sending more instant messages and face-to-face video calls. Director of Research at Ofcom, James Thickett, says, “4G has supercharged our smartphones.”

Since 2012, there has also been a dramatic increase in the number of U.K. adults owning a smartphone. The number has increased from 39 percent to 66 percent for 2015. Majority of owners are obviously part of the younger generation of 16 to 24 years, with 90 percent owning a smartphone. However, the older generation of 55 to 64-year-olds are making the change with 50 percent of them now owning a smartphone, compared to a measly 19 percent in 2012.

Within five minutes of waking up, 34 percent of adults will check their smartphone. This number rises to 49 percent for the younger generation of 18 to 24-year-olds.

Selfies are also on the increase with an estimated 1.2 billion selfies taken in the past year by U.K residents, with 10 percent taking a selfie at least once a week. Surprisingly the younger generation is more careful when it comes to backing up their photos. Thirty-six percent of adults between the ages of 16 and 34 have a backup compared to 29 percent of 35-year-olds and above.

Daily time spent on smartphones has also increased to 1 hour and 54 minutes, compared to an hour an 9 minutes on a PC or laptop. However, this still lags significantly behind TV, which takes up on average 3 hours and 40 minutes of a U.K. resident’s day.

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