A 2014 survey by the Infocomm Development Authority (IDA) of Singapore revealed a surge in smartphone, computer, and internet use among Singaporean seniors. The study, titled Annual Survey on Infocomm Usage in Households, found that 74% of Singaporean residents used a computer in the three months leading up to the survey. Senior citizens aged 50 and above showed the most significant increase in computer usage.

Between 2012 and 2014, computer use among seniors aged 50 to 59 grew by 14 percentage points, while those over 60 showed an 11 percentage-point increase. Consequently, 63% of seniors aged 50 to 59 and 27% of those over 60 reported using computers.

The survey also revealed a rise in internet use among older adults. 75% of individuals in their fifties and 31% of those aged 60 and above accessed the internet, a respective increase of 24% and 15% from 2012. Over a third of older seniors and more than three-quarters of younger seniors used smartphones for internet access in the three months before the survey. This represents a 19% and 30% jump, respectively, compared to 2012 figures.

Household internet and broadband adoption continued to climb in 2014, with more households relying on internet-enabled mobile phones for online access. Home internet access reached 88%, while broadband hit 87.5% in 2014. Households with school-aged children showed even higher rates, with 98% having internet access and 97% using broadband. Fibre and wireless broadband (3G and 4G) overtook ADSL and cable as the preferred home internet connection methods. 62% of households opted for fibre broadband in 2014, a considerable increase from 25% in 2012. Similarly, wireless broadband adoption grew from 38% in 2012 to 56% in 2014.

The survey also noted a growing trend of online shopping among Singaporeans. Individuals aged 15 to 49 dominated this trend, with credit card payments being the preferred method for those aged 25 and above. A majority of online shoppers spent at least S$100 per purchase, primarily on apparel, travel products, and entertainment tickets.

Regarding cybersecurity, over 80% of respondents confirmed installing antivirus software and security updates on their home computers. However, smartphone antivirus adoption remained relatively low, with only around three in ten users installing such software.

Communication, leisure, and information-seeking were the top three internet activities among Singaporeans. Social networking emerged as the most popular online activity on mobile devices.

Steve Leonard, IDA’s Executive Deputy Chairman, expressed his encouragement, stating, “We are encouraged to see residents becoming more tech-savvy and connected, particularly the silver generation. This is useful to help the industry explore new opportunities to serve our citizens better and help build Singapore into a Smart Nation.”

It’s important to note that direct comparisons between different years’ surveys may not be completely accurate, as the definition of “senior” evolves with each passing year. Individuals turning 50 or 51 in a given year may be categorized as seniors, influencing the tech-savviness observed in the 50-59 age group. This doesn’t diminish the significance of the findings for those aged 60 and above, which demonstrate a real increase in tech adoption.

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Note: All images from the IDA infographic.

*The annual survey has been conducted for more than 20 years, and its objective is to assess the extent of infocomm adoption in Singapore resident households and residents. This latest survey’s data was collected from about 3,500 households and about 3,500 residents via face-to-face interviews.

1 A smartphone has more sophisticated functions than a feature phone. Examples of such functions are: i) able to open and read documents (e.g. PDFs, Office documents) and ii) able to add or install applications on the phone. These two categories are mutually exclusive, i.e. a mobile phone can only be categorised as a feature phone or a smartphone but not both.

2 Households with access to the Internet via both broadband and narrowband had been categorised as those with broadband Internet access. Some households had more than one type of broadband connection at home.

3 Mobile equipment is defined as portable equipment excluding laptops or notebooks.