Britons prefer smartphones over laptops to go online: watchdog

Going mobile: Brits are increasingly preferring to go online with their smartphones rather than computers. Photo: Reuters

LONDON: Smartphones have overtaken laptops as the preferred way for Britons to go online, driven by increased take-up of the devices and a jump in superfast mobile broadband subscriptions, the British telecoms regulator said. 

A third of people said they turned to a smartphone first to browse the Internet, access social media or shop online, while 30% opened up a laptop, Ofcom said. A year ago, 40% preferred to use a laptop and 22% a smartphone.