Now it is simply impossible not to write about the coronavirus pandemic, since it is she who throws up more and more topics in order for us to have something to read and discuss. In addition, she locked us in our homes and greatly changed our behavior. Think back to yourself a couple of months ago and compare with what habits you have now. I'm not even talking about the general distancing of society. Now it is more interesting for us to discuss how the behavior of gadget users has changed in terms of content consumption and how they generally behave on the Web. I noticed some changes behind me, but it was hardly possible to do without them in modern conditions.
It's easier to explore the world of the Internet on the big screen.
How to use the Internet during self-isolation
The first thing worth noting is the dramatically increased traffic consumption. Almost all major sites have even introduced their own traffic restrictions. For example, YouTube, Netflix, and even Zoom's video calling service.
What else is left when you are “locked” at home? Watch movies, TV shows, play games on consoles and simply conquer the vastness of the Internet, going to its farthest corners. Someone else is exchanging work materials. All this leads to increased traffic.
Providers ask you not to overload the networks once again, since the load on them is large. In general, this is not difficult. Nobody says to give up consumption. You just don't have to turn on a 4K background screen saver on your TV and leave the room for two hours. A bit exaggerated, but you get the idea.
Why everyone loves video calls
After sitting in their favorite armchair and reviewing all the series of their favorite TV series, people realized that they needed to somehow socialize. Therefore, they began to actively consume the traffic of video communication services. It's really easier to communicate than just by voice. Especially if you contact people not only to simply ask how you are doing, but want to fully communicate and discuss something.
Considering that sitting at home you can turn on video communication for almost 24 hours in order to arrange joint games or just chat with someone, the services even introduced a restriction. For example, Zoom now does not work in a row for more than 40 minutes. To just talk, this is enough, and if you want to watch for days how the hamster grows with your grandmother, the service will hint to you that you do not need to “occupy the line”. In general, this is logical, because because of such fans of online meetings, we have to put up with a decrease in the quality of the picture.
The growing popularity of video services.
The fact of the change in behavior was recorded, and now people really began to communicate much more via video communication. A sign of the times, however. In the future, this will definitely spur the development of such services. As a result, we can come to the conclusion that people will cease to be somehow ashamed or afraid of this, and what the science fiction writers told us about will come. They often showed pictures of the future in which everyone speaks by video link.
People began to consume Internet traffic differently
I have already said that the consumption of traffic in general has grown, but there are also features of this growth. After you think about it, everything falls into place and seems very logical, but at first you do not pay attention to major changes.
An exclusive report on Internet traffic consumption published by the New York Times sheds light on one of the questions asked by many in the media industry and beyond: Who has benefited the most from the sudden quarantine? The answer is obvious – digital giants.
The given data cannot be considered as something that shows a picture of a long-term perspective, but now it is one hundred percent in line with the state of affairs in the world.
Traffic consumption on computers and smartphones.
The essence of the changes lies in the fact that in recent years there has been a clear increase in the consumption of mobile traffic. This was facilitated by a decrease in its cost, and an increase in the general need for information, and the fact that sites and applications have become much more convenient and adapted to work on a small screen.
Now, when people are sitting at home, it makes no sense for them to look at the world of the Internet through a 5-6 “keyhole. Many have returned to their computers and laptops. As a result, the traffic that people spent on the road to social networks and information resources, they now spend at home, sitting at a computer.
The video content that we consumed on the road from a smartphone stands apart. Now it's much easier to watch all this on a TV or computer screen. The only exception will be, perhaps, only games that are available exclusively on smartphones. If users like them, they won't stop playing them.
How to stop using your smartphone
You can stop using your smartphone to consume traffic only for two reasons – it is inconvenient or expensive.
A smartphone is a mobile device to use it on the road. At home there is nothing better than a computer.
Now is the first period. Many even change their tariff to a cheaper one so that it has less traffic. On the contrary, operators are beginning to actively call everyone and say that there is a special offer. You only need to pay 100-200 rubles and you will get unlimited. But nobody needs this unlimited now.
Due to the drop in operators' revenues over time, mobile traffic can start to cost more. The main thing is that, if this happens, they do not lose even more customers who have yet to get used to consuming content on the small screen again after the quarantine ends. After all, traffic has grown in recent years as people get used to smartphones. He was not immediately tall.
It is unlikely that the changes described above will be long-term, but if the quarantine drags on and we stay at home for six months or more, then the media sphere will face serious changes. As well as our habits, which every day it will be more difficult to return to what it was before.