Hispanics are more likely than non-Hispanics to use mobile devices for a variety of activities, according to [download page] a report from PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC). Those activities include second-screening, with 58% of Hispanics surveyed claiming to always or usually use a mobile device while watching TV, compared to 53% of non-Hispanics. That tilt was generally consistent across age groups, but was most pronounced for 25-34-year-olds (72% of Hispanics versus 62% of non-Hispanics) as well as males (59% and 47%, respectively).
A recent study from the Council for Research Excellence (CRE) similarly found that among various demographic groups, Hispanics were the most likely to be the most socially engaged viewers. Some 10.5% of Hispanic viewing occasions could be deemed “socially connected viewing,” where viewers’ simultaneous social activity was directly related to the specific program they were viewing. That compared to 7.5% of participants (aged 15-54), on average.
In the PwC study, Hispanic respondents were also more likely than non-Hispanics to stream video on their mobile devices at least once a week (43% vs. 25%) and download video (37% vs. 17%) with that frequency. Data from Centris Marketing Science indicates that Hispanic households are also above-average in their use of over-the-top services.
Besides using their mobile devices for entertainment purposes, Hispanics also over-index in several other activities, including:
- Checking bank balances, making a bank transaction or paying a bill;
- Downloading electronic coupons which are then scanned at the store register from their phone;
- Paying for physical goods/services in a store with a credit/debit card electronically stored on their phones;
- Making travel reservations or purchases online; and
- Purchasing movie/show tickets.
The Federal Reserve also recently found that Hispanics have adopted mobile banking at a higher rate than non-Hispanics.
About the Data: The PwC data is based on a spring 2014 nationwide survey (in English and Spanish) of 500 Hispanics and 500 non-Hispanics ranging in age from 18-65.
