Nearly all Irish adults (90%) own a smartphone according to recent research conducted by Irish Life. 
 
Most Irish people check their phone up to 10 times a day, highest among older 55+ adults. Twice as many men (34%) as women (17%) stand out as frequent users, checking their phones 41+ times a day.
 
The top three uses include checking emails (87%), social media (71%) and news/ weather (67%). Other uses for the smartphone include online banking (50%), shopping online (42%) and paying bills (32%).
 
The majority of Irish people (79%) check their phones while using public transport. Second most common places are at work and when out and about meeting friends (both at 70%). A further 34% check their smartphone while on a plane with 30% checking their phone in the cinema. Alarmingly, 12% of people admitted to checking their phone while driving.
 
Irish Life has developed an app to make their customers lives easier when it comes to managing their pension savings using their smartphone. Some of the key features of the ‘Irish Life EMPOWER’ app allow customers to check the current value of their pension fund and details of the pension funds that they are currently invested in.

The app includes additional information in relation to customers’ pension funds such as the risk rating, fund description and performance, and calculates the likely impact of any change in contributions, salary or retirement date on their annual pension.

Commenting on the launch of the app, Managing Director at Irish Life Corporate Business, Tony Lawless said, "In a world where people engage so frequently with their smartphone, it is important that they can also engage with their plans for the future.  Our app makes pension plans more accessible to our customers and allows them to understand what they can expect from their pension, ensure that they have a plan for retirement and keep track of that plan."

Source: www.businessworld.ie