How do smartphone users access the internet? An exploratory analysis of mobile web browser use

In this article, we use a top tasks survey (n = 466) and unmoderated interviews (n = 101) to explore how smartphone users access the internet: through browsers or standalone applications. We found a surprising number of users surveyed rely on mobile browsers to conduct internet-based tasks ordinarily associated with standalone apps, such as reading emails (34%), watching videos (24%), and listening to music (16%). Interviews revealed several practical and socioeconomic explanations for “browser-centric” smartphone use, including memory conservation on inexpensive mobile handsets and privacy management. We discuss the implications for information systems and technology adoption theories and for applied researchers who work in mobile product spaces.