Ericsson ConsumerLab identifies consumer trends for 2014

Ericsson ConsumerLab has shared the latest consumer trends for 2014 and beyond, which it has identified in its latest study. ConsumerLab's study is based on its annual interviews with over 100,000 individuals in more than 40 countries and 15 megacities. Michael Björn, Head of Research at ConsumerLab, says: "The most important trend we see is the mass demand for apps and services across all industries and societal sectors - which has the potential to fundamentally change everyday life." Read below what Ericcson has shared in its release: Apps change society. The fast global uptake of smartphones has completely changed the way we communicate and use the internet. Now we enter a new phase of rapidly-diversifying smartphone use - and people are looking for apps across all sectors of society. This includes everything from shopping and daycare to communication with authorities, and transportation. Apps are becoming more important than what phone you use. Your body is the new password. Sites are demanding longer passwords with a mixture of numbers, letters and symbols - almost impossible to remember. This is leading to growing interest in biometric alternatives. For example, our research found that 52 percent of smartphone users want to use their fingerprints instead of passwords and 48 percent are interested in using eye-recognition to unlock their screen. A total of 74 p...