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Australia’s Mobile Device Dependency On The Rise

We all know Australians love their smartphones.

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They’re glued to our hand from the moment we wake up until we fall asleep dreaming of those shoes we’ve just ordered from bed – 73% of us never turn them off!

But the latest Telstra Smartphone and Tablet Index using Neilsen research also shows some fascinating new trends in our online viewing and spending habits.

Here are some of the main points to come out of the survey:

1. Smartphones joined at the hip, wearables at the wrist

Smartphones are now key devices for immediate connection, information and entertainment across the day given their omnipresent and ‘always on’ nature. Almost 9 out of 10 of us now own one, with 67% of Australians described as active users. The popularity of ‘wearables’ like smart watches has also spiked, with sales more than doubling in just 12 months.

2. Cross-platform opportunities at an all-time high

Mobile devices permeate consumers’ everyday lives and are increasingly present and connected as they consume other media. Multi-screening has risen dramatically over the past year; the opportunity for advertisers to reach consumers with cross-platform messaging is greater than ever, says Telstra.

3. Content consumption is shifting

We’re also streaming content more than ever before, particularly music.

4. Video entertains as well as informs purchase decisions

Consumers are engaging with online video more than ever, says Telstra.  Mobile shoppers now consider video an important part of the purchase process. More than ever before, we’re researching brands we like via video on a device before we head to the checkout.

5. Mobile is a key influencer in the path-to-purchase

The ‘path-to-purchase’ is changing and mobile’s role is evidently important as a tool for supporting decision making, says Telstra. Mobile shopping research and purchase is on the rise and more than half of mobile ‘shoppers’ turn to a device almost all the time to provide inspiration and information.

Categories: World
Robyn Foyster: Robyn Foyster is a multi-award-winning journalist, media executive, and the owner and publisher of The Carousel, alongside the Women Love Network (which includes Women Love Wellness, Women Love Travel, and Women Love Tech). At the forefront of digital lifestyle and tech publishing, Robyn was named the 2025 Winner of the Samsung IT Journalism Award for Best Corporate Content and is a 2026 Lizzies Finalist. Voted one of B&T’s 30 Most Powerful Women In Media, she previously served as the Publisher and Editor-in-Chief of Australia’s three biggest flagship magazines—The Australian Women’s Weekly, Woman’s Day, and New Idea—and was a senior executive at the Seven Network. A sought-after speaker and an eight-year judge for the Telstra Business Awards, Robyn remains dedicated to championing women's voices across lifestyle, wellness, and technology.