The <https://9to5mac.com/guides/coronavirus/> coronavirus crisis has
changed many things. People working from home, school closures, hospitality
restrictions and more. It's no surprise, then, to find that
<https://9to5mac.com/guides/iphone/> smartphone usage has also changed.
A <https://www.kantar.com/> Kantar study found that some of these changes
were temporary, shifting back and forth in line with lockdowns - but other
changes appear permanent, or at least longer-lasting .
One obvious change is that use of map apps and GPS dropped during the
stricter lockdowns and returned to more normal levels in countries and
regions where restrictions were eased. In Europe, for example, usage fell in
the early days of the pandemic, but has since returned to normal despite
remaining travel restrictions. In the US, there has been no sign of recovery
in map and GPS usage as yet.
The use of instant messaging also increased, as people sought alternative
ways of communicating with family and friends when they couldn't see them in
person, but subsequently returned to normal levels this quarter.
Some shifts in behavior, however, are longer-lasting - especially in Europe.
The boost in the popularity of streaming music services like Apple Music and
Spotify has shown no sign of returning to pre-COVID levels. The same is true
of streaming video services like Netflix and Apple TV+, where a 14% increase
in viewing levels hasn't changed.
Perhaps unsurprisingly, at a time of greater focus on health and fitness,
the use of fitness tracking got a boost early in the pandemic, and has
continued to grow since.
Equally unsurprising is the growth in the usage of mobile wallet apps and
other forms of contactless payment. Fewer people want to handle cash, or
physically hand over a card to a store assistant. Usage increased by 8%
early in the crisis, increasing later to 16% - and that shows absolutely no
sign of changing.
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