NO sign of slowing down, instead, a study by Telenor Asia found that three in four expect mobile usage to increase and one third of Malaysians expect to "significantly increase" their mobile usage.
The study, "Digital Lives Decoded", which was released as part of Telenor's 25th anniversary in Asia, surveyed over 8,000 mobile internet users across eight countries (Bangladesh, Indonesia, Malaysia, Pakistan, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam) in South and Southeast Asia.
It revealed a common appreciation for the benefits of an "always-on" life, where mobile connectivity enriches relationships, delivers convenience and makes it easier for people to participate in the digital economy.
According to Head of Telenor Asia, Jørgen C. Arentz Rostrup, it was a popular belief that mobile devices are distracting, separating people from each other and often blamed for lack of communication skills—the study proved otherwise.
"It is often reported that mobile devices are coming between people, distracting users from those around them and damaging relationships and interpersonal communication skills. However, this study dispels that notion.
"Compared to before the pandemic, mobile data usage has more than doubled in most Asian markets, reshaping how we communicate at work and at home. Interestingly, this survey shows that people want the changes in digital use and their daily lives to stay. In fact, they continue to immerse themselves in a digital world despite rules on travel and social interaction being relaxed," said Rostrup in a statement.
The report also showed a resounding 93 per cent of the respondents from the region believe their mobile usage improves their quality of life. For Malaysia, disparities between urban and rural respondents persist with just 42 per cent of respondents saying mobile usage "significantly improves" quality of life versus 60 per cent in urban areas.
Overall, women lead this trend with 64 per cent saying their quality of life is significantly enhanced compared to 52 per cent of men. This trend is most apparent in Thailand (75pc) and Indonesia (71pc), where the highest number of women are connecting to "significantly better" lives through their mobile use.
While in Malaysia, over half of women respondents (55pc) indicated the same.
Digi Telecommunications' head of sustainability, Philip Ling said that the internet and smart devices have become an integral part of the community and it is reflected in the study. However, it has helped many especially in life improvements.
"The world now runs on the Internet where every layer of society has become dependent on their mobile devices, as reflected in this survey. From the 1,000 over Malaysian respondents, it is apparent that people are taking advantage of the various Internet innovations to improve their lives. However, it also revealed that digital gaps still persist in some areas of communities. Hence, it is important that we continue to find ways to help empower these underserved communities and strengthen inclusivity for all as well as build trust in the digital age."
The survey also concluded five key contributors to why more and more people are spending additional time on their mobile devices.
1. Swiping up for an always-on lifestyle
Nearly all respondents surveyed have their mobile device with them for at least half of the day, and one in five are never without their phone. Yet, the majority of respondents surveyed feel they strike a good balance on technology use (76pc).
People in the Philippines and Thailand are most dependent on their mobile phones, with 29 per cent and 26 per cent. In Malaysia, this is true for only one in five (20pc) respondents.
At 72 per cent, Malaysia is in line with regional averages when it comes to dependence while the trend is greatest among respondents in Thailand (82pc).
2. Keeping up as digital life charges ahead
Generational differences are apparent. Gen Z respondents, the youngest surveyed, are more likely to feel that they are overusing technology. Along with their millennial counterparts, Gen Z respondents were also the most concerned about having the right skills to keep pace with technology. This was a concern shared across generations, with 85 per cent of respondents worried that their digital skills will not keep pace with a rapidly evolving digital environment. In Malaysia, this was true for 95 per cent of respondents.
3. (Lack of) trust in the digital world
Following a surge in digital adoption, Malaysian respondents signalled the highest concerns around privacy and security of mobile usage, with 98 per cent versus 93 per cent (average) across the region.
Of those who reduced their mobile usage in the past year, one in three Gen Z respondents in Malaysia cited privacy and security concerns as the top reason for the decrease. This was the highest across all markets. Conversely, people in Thailand were least concerned, with nearly a quarter of respondents not concerned about this at all.
4. Tapping into a more sustainable life
Malaysian respondents were the least optimistic about the potential for mobile technology to advance environmental sustainability. Two-thirds of those surveyed believe that access to mobile phones is "very important" for them to lead greener lives in the future. However, that share was lowest in Malaysia (57pc) and Singapore (41pc).
People cited the greatest benefits come in the areas of reducing paper, waste, and electricity (69pc of respondents), being able to communicate more efficiently (67pc) and providing better access to public transport with more information (55pc). However, this does not take into consideration that surging data use will require greater energy consumption.
5. Mobile technology is closing the digital divide
The study also points to the greater potential women see in mobile technology, with more women than men saying mobile connectivity has enhanced their options for working and generating income and given them better access to information and education opportunities.
Interestingly, Singapore is the only country where this trend is reversed, with more males (54pc) than females (49pc) finding that mobile technology improves their lives significantly.
On average, respondents also recognise how mobile connectivity is inclusive, giving people greater access to essential services which enrich their daily lives, such as education and healthcare services.
Malaysian respondents were less likely than regional counterparts to find that mobile usage "significantly improved" their access to services with education (33pc vs 49pc average) and healthcare (35pc vs 44pc average).
However, it is around financial inclusion where mobile devices are really levelling the playing field. Ninety-two per cent of respondents say having a mobile device has increased their access to financial services while more than half (56pc) believe their access to financial services has "significantly improved".
This was true for 51 per cent of Malaysian respondents.
It is also worth noting the disparity between responses of those living in cities (60pc) and rural areas (49pc), which highlights the ongoing need to broaden the reach of these services to those outside urban areas.
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