'Apps' enable changing use of technology

New Zealanders appear to be becoming more tech savvy and are making more use of different information and communication technologies in their daily lives, Statistics New Zealand said today.

The increasing popularity of devices such as smartphones, which include software 'apps', digital cameras, and music players is creating less demand for these individual products. Sales of audio and visual equipment have decreased 16 percent since 2008.

Total sales of Internet access and Internet telecommunication services increased 28 percent (up about $200 million) since 2008. Total sales of ICT goods and services remained constant over the same period.

“Internet users are using more data and changing the way they communicate, by increasing their use of tools such as video conferencing over the Internet. These changes have contributed to the large increase in sales,” ICT statistics manager Hamish Hill said.

The increased growth in sales of Internet access and Internet telecommunication services is supported by the Internet Service Providers Survey. This survey showed that the total number of broadband subscribers increased 46 percent in the two-and-a-half years to June 2010.

The computer services and software industry had the largest percentage increase in ICT sales since 2008 (8 percent). The industry with the highest sales value was the telecommunication services industry, which had more than $7 billion in ICT sales for the 2010 financial year.

The ICT Supply Survey 2010 covered more than 3,000 ICT-orientated businesses in New Zealand. Of these businesses, 2,226 had ICT sales in the 2010 financial year.

 Geoff Bascand 15 April 2011

 Government Statistician