A new piece of Voxburner research into young people and their attitudes and behaviours when it comes to using apps reveals that 67% of 16-24s find ads the biggest turn-off when it comes to apps.
Apps that take too long to load (45%), too many push notifications (34%) and requiring to login to use an app (30%) were other key reasons apps can be a turn-off for young people. 35% of respondents also shared of their frustration when an app isn’t available on their mobile platform.
28% of respondents say they always turn off push notifications as soon as they download an app, whilst 60% say they will turn them off if they get too many notifications. 43% say that negative reviews will have an impact on whether they decide to download an app.
The majority of 16-24s (73%) have a core number of 1 - 10 apps that they use on a weekly basis, despite 53% saying they have more than 30 apps downloaded on their phone in total. 14% of respondents have over 50 apps downloaded, whilst 4% have more than 100.
It’s social networking apps (81%) and game apps (70%) that are used the most often - Tumblr, Spotify, YouTube and BBC all feature highly. Weather apps, included in so many default installations, are popular, with 42% of those surveyed using them actively each week. We see that women are more interested in health and fitness apps and photo and video apps, whilst men are using sports and entertainment apps more than women. Blackboard and Evernote were mentioned specifically by students or recent graduates as the top app that helped them at university this year.
Commenting on the results, Precious Hamilton-Brown, Creative Coordinator for Swiftkey, says: “The best apps are those that solve a problem and stand the test of time - the ones you rely on regularly because they improve the overall experience of using your phone. Some apps entice a download but then remain neglected until that inevitable day when your storage space is low and it’s time for a ruthless deleting spree! Young people rightly have high expectations when it comes to giving away a prime spot on their homescreen. They expect quality apps that deliver genuine value, keeping them coming back for more. Companies that want to grow their teenage fanbase must have integrity, credibility and not rest on their laurels for a moment.”
When asked how they feel about the new Facebook messenger app, 44% of 16-24s say it annoys them that it’s now a separate app, whilst 15% say they don’t use Facebook on their phone at all.
Luke Mitchell, Head of Insight at Voxburner, says: “The number of apps young people keep on their phone indicate that there’s no space for those that aren’t providing fun or utility. Annoy them with excessive push notifications or intrusive ads and you’ll feel the full impact of the ‘uninstall’ button.
Claire, aged 18 from Medway, adds: “Facebook just seems to get boring, it's the same old thing day in day out. Typically the other apps [YouTube, WhatsApp, Skype] seem to be more direct communication with individuals, a platform for conversation, or in YouTube's case, watching and finding new things, whether it be music, funny cat videos or anything else.”
Jennie, aged 20 from Brighton, says: “I recently upgraded my phone to the iPhone 5C. It took me a while to decide whether to get an iPhone or change to a Samsung but in the end I decided it would be easier to stay with the iPhone (I had a 4 before) as I wouldn't lose all my apps and wouldn't have to faff around sorting out my music either.”
The full research on Young people and apps can be downloaded for free on the Voxburner website.
