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 that for grandparents, the gift of reconnection is driving screen time at Christmas – with 49 percent speaking to loved ones on messenger apps, and 31 percent enjoying video calls.
Meanwhile, 30 percent want to capture pictures and videos of all the festivities, and 28 percent will be scrolling through their favourite social media app.
As a result, 58 percent agree it helps them feel more connected with their loved ones at this time of year.
And with grandparents embracing digital technology, this year, 12 percent have included a smartphone on their Christmas list – beating scarves and gloves at eight percent, and gardening equipment at seven percent.
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 percent) are in WhatsApp group chats together.
In fact, 40 percent of grandchildren believe because of the tech they use, they have never felt closer to their grandparents – as 39 percent 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 percent) are posting on Instagram.
One in 10 (11 percent) are flexing their creative muscles with YouTube videos, and an impressive six percent are even creating content on the favourite Gen Z app, TikTok.
It also emerged smartphone users’ top priority for a device is cost (63 percent), followed by battery life (53 percent), the OnePoll research found.
But staying connected is among the favourite things about having a smartphone, as 45 percent love being able to connect with friends and family in different ways. Meanwhile, one in three grandparents (34 percent) 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.”
