Toronto: Older smartphone users tend to rely more on their phones’ auto lock feature compared to younger users, said researchers, adding that they also prefer using PINs over fingerprints to unlock their phones. The study found that older users are more likely to unlock their phones when working at a desk or sitting at home.
“The study is the first to explore the link between age and smartphone use. As researchers working to protect smartphones from unauthorized access, we need to first understand how users use their devices,” said Konstantin Beznosov, Professor at the University of British Columbia. The analysis also showed that older users used their phone less frequently than younger users. For every 10-year interval in age, there was a corresponding 25 per cent decrease in the number of user sessions.
In other words, a 25-year-old might use their phone 20 times a day, but a 35-year-old might use it only 15 times. The study also found gender differences in authentication choices. As their age, men are much more likely to rely on auto locks, as opposed to manually locking their devices, compared to women.
