With HMD Global’s official launch of six new Nokia smartphones, the Finnish phone maker aims to encourage users around the world to keep their phones for longer. By creating more affordable and long-lasting smartphones, HMD Global makes it its mission to help reduce e-waste.
The latest Nokia smartphones — the Nokia X20, Nokia X10, Nokia G20, Nokia G10, Nokia C20, and Nokia C10 — follow the global Nokia Phones Trend Report by HMD Global. This report reveals the following key data on phone users’ behavior:
- Global phone usage rose by 90 percent over the last decade.
- Sixty-nine percent, or two for every three, respondents think smartphones have become too expensive.
- Mobile phone screen time is now higher than ever.
- Eighty-one percent want phones that can stand the test of time.
Love of smartphones
Mobile phone usage globally has risen by 90 percent over the last 10 years, with 83 percent of respondents claiming to “love” their phones. This “love” has translated into mobile phones becoming a central part of users’ lives — 32 percent use their phones to shop; 76 percent to monitor their finances; 63 percent for fitness, workouts, and tracking; and 68 percent to pay for transactions.
Global data shows that users hold their smartphones an average of 142 times a day, spending 18 hours and 12 minutes a week looking at the screen — the equivalent of watching the first two seasons of Game of Thrones back-to-back. The top five activities people use their phones for are browsing the internet, checking social media, listening to music, gaming, and messaging or communication. Indeed, people are becoming more reliant on their smartphones.
In the Philippines, Filipinos admit to spending an average of 236 minutes on their phone each day, an increase of as much as 89 percent over the past decade. The study also shows that more than 80 percent of Filipinos trust their phones for handling banking transactions and gathering health information, and 86 percent use their phones for payment transactions. These data present the need for a more reliable smartphone that is flexible and can keep up with multiple tasks.
Our trust in technology
Trust is an important factor when choosing a mobile partner. In the Philippines, 60 percent of respondents said that knowing their phone is secure is important to them and more than 80 percent are concerned about privacy on their phones. Despite these, only 23 percent are strong believers of security updates and 40 percent simply agree to regular updates on their phones. Meanwhile, 30 percent are still unsure about the benefits of security updates.
The study reveals that about 30 percent of Filipinos are not even sure if they have updated their phones or not, leaving a large chunk of Filipino smartphone users vulnerable to threats and hackers.
More than 60 percent are concerned about being scammed through their phones, yet 25 percent of Filipinos are still unaware of their mobile security update status. The study also shows that 32 percent have admitted to being a victim of a scam or fraud through their phones, presenting the need for phones that provide a safe and secure mobile experience. With mobile banking, payment transactions, and e-wallets on the rise, having a smartphone that gives monthly security updates gives users confidence and peace of mind with today’s trend of online transactions.
Keeping phones for longer
Filipinos hold onto their phones for an average of at least two years before swapping them in, with 46 percent saying they upgraded because their phone had gotten slower. Almost half of Filipinos said smartphones have gotten expensive, which most likely explains why 62 percent want to keep their smartphones for longer.
Filipinos do worry about how their constant upgrading affects the environment, with 45 percent concerned about the excessive amount of electronic waste they generate. The Environmental Management Bureau noted that e-waste is one of the fastest-growing waste streams in the country with 32,664.41 metric tons of e-waste in 2019 alone.
Remarkably, more than half or 54 percent of Filipino mobile users see value in making an effort to buy products that help the environment and 48 percent actively seek out companies that offer sustainability through their products such as in packaging.
Ravi Kunwar, general manager – Pan Asia HMD Global, notes: “What sets Nokia phones apart is the embodiment of HMD Global’s message — Love it, Trust it, Keep it — in every device made. Love it — we offer unique smartphone experiences with devices that feature better battery life, faster performance, and exceptional design philosophy, giving fans more reasons to love Nokia phones. Trust it — our phones come with up to three-year security updates, giving users peace of mind from data breaches. Keep it — HMD Global vows to improve the life expectancy of Nokia phones by ensuring they are built to last with gold-standard durability. The longer we enjoy using our phones, the better it is for the environment. As the Philippines remains one of our most promising markets in the region, HMD Global will make sure that our advancements will reach our Filipino fans.”
“This report highlights not only the love that people globally have for their phones but also the growing wish for a mobile device they can trust will keep their information safe and will last longer. Each of our six new phones answers a concern that consumers around the world have raised. These phones offer high-quality performance and durability that withstand many years of use. All the phones, no matter at what price point, work on the latest Android platform and have regular software updates to keep them secure at all times,” says Stephen Taylor, CMO at HMD Global, the home of Nokia phones:
Check out HMD Global’s new lineup of smartphones to Love, Trust and Keep here: Nokia phones online store