YET DISCONNECTION IS NOT AN OPTION Despite concerns that constant connectivity distracts us from what matters most, many consumers don’t see disconnecting as a viable option; 47% believe that their personal connections would suffer if they were to go without their mobile devices, even for a short period of time. Despite their inability to disconnect, consumers understand that it might be necessary at some time, as 63% say that the more connected we become, the more we will need to spend time disconnecting. Talking about an experiment where he had to wait an hour before responding to messages, a Chinese consumer said, “I almost forgot to reply to my texts, which would be really bad! I can’t live without my phone. Habits have formed because of work.”
ARE WE CELLULARLY CONFLICTED ADOLESCENTS? Furthermore, consumers recognize the effect that mobile technology has had on the quality of their connections, and this has exacerbated discussions about when we should put our devices away, or if this is even possible these days. While 72% agree that to be connected to something or someone these days requires technology, 72% also believe that connections today are weaker than they were in the past. Speaking of a bad experience on a dinner date, one German consumer said, “It’s a complete turn-off when my date likes to chat more and talk less!”
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