Introduction

This chapter provides detail on the devices used to access the internet. What the data shows is that phones is by far the most popular device used to access the internet, with older persons more likely to use a laptop for internet access than younger persons.

Phone most commonly used device to access the internet

Key findings of devices used to access the internet:

• In 2023, nearly all (96%) internet users used their smart phone or mobile phone to access the internet. See Table 4.1.
• Internet users can use multiple devices to access the internet. Over six in ten (62%) also used their laptop to go online, while 43% used a tablet and just 29% used a desktop computer.
• Half (55%) of internet users also used other devices such as smart TV, smart speakers, game console, e-book reader, smart watch, etc.
• Almost all persons aged under 60 years of age accessed the internet on their mobile phone or smartphone, while just over nine in ten (92%) older persons aged 60 to 74 years went online using their phone. Over half (51%) of internet users in this this age group used their laptop when going online.
• For households with dependent children, almost all used their phone as an option to access the internet, with just 94% of persons living alone going online using their phone. See Figure 4.1.
• Analysis by deprivation quintile shows that although at an overall level internet users, irrespective of affluence, used multiple devices to access the internet, the use of laptops to access the internet increases as the affluence of the geographical area where the person resides, increases. Three-quarters of internet users living in very affluent areas used a laptop as one of the devices used to access the internet, compared with just over half (52%) for persons residing in very disadvantaged areas. 
• Nearly all (98%) persons whose principal economic status was At work used the internet on their phone, while almost three-quarters (74%) used their laptop. Nearly six in ten (58%) of such internet users used other devices including smart TV, smart speakers, game console, e-book reader, smart watch, etc.