Growing Apart: How Smart Devices Impact the Proximity of Users to Their Smartphones

JW Park, HI Evans, H Watson… - IEEE Pervasive …, 2020 - ieeexplore.ieee.org
IEEE Pervasive Computing, 2020ieeexplore.ieee.org
The widespread adoption of feature phones and smartphones has previously led
researchers to test the assumption that users always have their phones ready at hand. We
believe the current ubiquity of other smart devices has changed this. Using a mixed methods
approach inspired by past work in this area, we reevaluate the physical proximity
relationship between individuals and their smartphone, as well as the role of other smart
devices in users' lives. We find that, on average, participants have their phone within arm's …
The widespread adoption of feature phones and smartphones has previously led researchers to test the assumption that users always have their phones ready at hand. We believe the current ubiquity of other smart devices has changed this. Using a mixed methods approach inspired by past work in this area, we reevaluate the physical proximity relationship between individuals and their smartphone, as well as the role of other smart devices in users’ lives. We find that, on average, participants have their phone within arm's reach 51% of the time, similar to the findings of the prior work. However, if smartphones are not within arm's reach, they are now much further away because of the use of wearables and other devices. We also show how social, personal, and external factors result in users relying on other devices for functions (e.g., information seeking, checking the weather, setting timers and alarms, and playing music) once performed by their smartphones.
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