Affluent people in Europe ‘behind the digital curve’

Europe’s most affluent people are “behind the digital curve” when it comes to smartphone and tablet adoption, according to market research firm Ipsos MORI. 

The Ipsos Global Affluent Survey 2014, which measures the habits of the top-earning 13% to 20% of adults, found that ‘affluents’ in the Middle East, Africa, Asia Pacific and Latin America were more likely to own these devices than their European counterparts.

In Europe, smartphones were found to be owned by 70% of the most affluent, compared to 98% in both the Middle East and Africa, 81% in Latin America and 78% in Asia Pacific.

Similarly tablet adoption by European affluents stood at just 35%, compared to 81% in the Middle East, 62% in Africa, 41% in Asia Pacific and 46% in Latin America.

Globally, the most affluent people were found to spend more than 4.5 hours with media every day.

More than 75% watch international television channels, 14.4% read an international newspaper – either in print or digitally – and 39% said they follow international media via websites and apps, according to the research.

The Ipsos Global Survey 2014 reflects the lives of the most affluent people in 49 countries, representing 71 million people.