Business

Ofcom report reveals dramatic rise in time spent online

People are now spending twice as much time online as they did 10 years ago, and it's because of the rise in smartphones and tablets.

These are the findings of new research from Ofcom; with internet users aged 16 and over claiming to spend more than 20 hours online each week - double the amount stated a decade ago (10 hours).

The time spent online by 16-24 year-olds was found to have almost tripled to 27 hours and 36 minutes.

The research forms part of Ofcom's annual Media Use and Attitudes report, and also found that a driver for the increased time spent online was the continued growth of mobile devices; such as smartphones and tablets.

Since Ofcom launched their report in 2005, the iPhone has been launched - which paved the way for a new generation of smartphones that carried faster web browsers, similar to those of desktop.

The creation of ever-faster data networks such as 3G and now 4G has also made the web more accessible, as has the appearance of the tablet computer, and now wearables.

Since the iPad launched in 2010, tablet use has risen by more than 30 per cent, with 5 per cent of those surveyed in 2010 saying they used a tablet rising to 39 per cent this year. Smartphone use among those who took part in the report has also more than doubled in five years - from 30 per cent in 2010, to 66 per cent now.

Gadget expert and founder of technology Pocket-lint.com Stuart Miles said that sites like Facebook and Twitter were also playing a role in driving more users online for longer.

"We carry the internet with us in virtually every device we use, and the embracing of social media makes that even more rewarding as we don't even have to be looking for things to entertain us, they come to us," he said.