Smartphones beat gardening kit and two other festive favourites to top of grandparents’ Christmas wish lists for 2023
THE typical grandparent will be glued to their smartphone for 27 hours this Christmas – as many note their tech savviness is helping them feel more connected with loved ones.
A poll of 2,000 smartphone users who celebrate Yuletide found those with grandchildren estimate they will spend nearly three hours a day on their devices between Christmas Eve and the New Year.
This is just less than the digitally native millennials, who expect to be on their devices for four hours a day over the same period.
The research, commissioned by Motorola, found for grandparents, the gift of reconnection is driving screen time at Christmas, with 49 per cent speaking to loved ones on messenger apps, and 31 per cent enjoying video calls.
Whereas 30 per cent want to capture pictures and videos of all the festivities and 28 per cent will be scrolling through their favourite social media app.
As a result, 58 per cent agree it helps them feel more connected with their loved ones at this time of year.
With grandparents embracing digital technology, this year, 12 per cent have included a smartphone on their Christmas list – beating scarves and gloves at eight per cent and gardening equipment at seven per cent.
Miles Norman, general manager at the mobile manufacturer, said: “Older generations are embracing their smartphones in more ways than you might imagine.
“Equipped with smartphones and tablets, they’re navigating the latest digital trends with a determined effort to connect with loved ones.
“It’s heart-warming to learn that welcoming technology has empowered this generation to create new, and reinforce old, connections.
“Age has no limit for today’s technology.”
The research went on to find those who are still in touch with their grandparents are catching up with them six times a month on average.
One in four talk on the mobile and almost four in 10 (38 per cent) are in WhatsApp group chats together.
And in return, 40 per cent of grandchildren believe because of the tech they use, they have never felt closer to their grandparents.
As 39 per cent of those state their older family members are savvy with their devices.
Like their younger counterparts, grandparents aren’t just using social media to scroll through feeds as almost one in five (18 per cent) are posting on Instagram.
One in 10 (11 per cent) are flexing their creative muscles with YouTube videos, and an impressive six per cent are creating content on the Gen Z favourite, TikTok.
It also emerged smartphone users’ top priority for a device is cost (63 per cent), followed by battery life (53 per cent), the OnePoll research found.
But staying connected is among the favourite things about having a smartphone and 45 per cent love being able to connect with friends and family in different ways.
While one in three grandparents (34 per cent) love to stay updated with pictures of the grandkids.
Miles Norman, from Motorola UK, which commissioned the poll to celebrate the arrival of the moto g84 5G, added: “In recent years, we’ve noticed a clear trend with consumers looking for more accessible technology that will enable them to easily create and sustain meaningful connections with loved ones.
“We want to help everyone experience the joys of staying connected, especially at Christmas.”
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