Article written by guest writer Kecia Lynn

What's the Latest Development?

By examining more than 6 billion app sessions on around 500 million tablets and smartphones last month, mobile analytics firm Flurry came up with data proving what many have already suspected: Most people use the devices for entertainment. In separate charts, both devices list games as the primary time-sink, but for tablets, 67 percent of usage goes towards games versus 39 percent for smartphones. Flurry's Peter Farago says that smartphone users perform more task-oriented activities on their devices, whereas tablets seem to serve as "media machines": Games, news, and overall entertainment together account for almost 80 percent of device usage.

What's the Big Idea?

Also noted in Flurry's report: Smartphone apps are used more often, but for less time, and usage spikes during evening hours (7-10 pm) for both device types. Not included in the report are data for Twitter and Facebook apps -- social networking would take up more usage time -- and data about tasks being performed in Web browsers. Still, the results should cause developers to sit up and take notice. Farago says, "[A]s Apple and Google enter the living room with connected TV initiatives, game consoles...would experience the greatest competition. The distribution of content into the living room may also significantly change for network and cable television content providers."

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