Free time is treasured by anyone who is lucky enough to get their hands on it. Making time for free time is an essential aspect required to maintain a healthy work-life balance.
In this day and age, people from all over the world seem to be spending more of their free-time online. It’s become evident that technology has become an extension of reality, and there are several ways to while away the time in the online sphere.
In today’s article, we will be looking into the many ways that people in India dedicate their free time to online activities to get a general overview and understand online habits just a little bit better.
What do the statistics say?
According to a report by Nielsen, it seems that people in India are spending roughly four times as much time online by comparison to offline activities. Smartphone sales in India have surged due to the country’s low costs and high broadband penetration, resulting in a significant demand for new devices from young and aspirational users.
Smartphone costs continue to rise, even when there are more affordable options available. It is clear from the behaviours of Indian smartphone owners that they devote over 90 minutes a day on online activities, with the premium group clocking in at 130 minutes.
The average time Indians spent on mobile phones correlates directly with the growth in that usage. More than half of India’s entry-level smartphone users range between the ages of 15 and 24; they are mostly students and, while data-hungry, are not as well-off as those who buy high-end smartphones.
60% of premium phone customers are beyond the age of 24, and most are employed professionals or self-employed entrepreneurs. These are typically well-off, ‘data-hungry’ individuals, eager to spend as much time online as possible.
Scrolling on Socials
Possibly one of the most popular pass-times for individuals in India ( and probably the rest of the world) would be the use of social media. The 21st Century is all about staying connected, and this is all thanks to the wonders of social media.
Indians spend a great deal of time staying in contact with their loved ones and family friends through popular apps like Facebook/ Meta, Instagram, TikTok and WhatsApp Messenger.
Gaming and Online Gambling
On top of Social Media, people in India also enjoy the odd online game which they either download or access via browser.
The gaming sector is possibly one of the most popular ones given the generous entertainment it offers for people for hours on end- there are multiple ways to play games online; be it single or multiplayer and there is an endless genre of games to choose from.
One of the most popular types of games which people in India turn to can be found at gambling sites. Indians may choose from a wide variety of online casino games such as slot machines, blackjack and roulette games when they play online.
India’s approach to gambling regulation is unique, and we ask our Indian players to proceed with some caution with regards to the legality of the games they intend to engage in. Only in Daman, Sikkim, and Goa are land-based casinos now permitted to provide gaming activities by the Indian government.
Because just three districts in India allow land-based gambling, many Indian gamers prefer to escape the traffic and crowds and play their favourite casino games on the internet instead. Online gambling is handy, but selecting an online casino that one can rely on is a little bit tricky.
Finding True Love
It’s no surprise that online dating is the sector with the most services and one of the services with the highest number of users in India. Some of the best mobile dating apps have surged in recent years.
Tinder is an excellent example of a well-known brand and a successful business strategy. Swiping made it the most popular non-game online app on the market for the first time in a long time.
Asia and South America happen to be a couple of attractive areas for the online dating apps and it’s no surprise given the impressive population rate which places like India have.
In India, where arranged weddings are the norm, dating apps are changing the game. Young people are defying societal conventions to find true love and happiness online, even if they might not necessarily want to get married to that person. If you’re in India and looking for the one- there is definitely a sea full of fish to choose from!
Crypto-Trading
As from March 2020, the Reserve Bank of India relaxed its prohibition on cryptocurrencies, and Indian exchanges have shown significant user additions and a continuous growth in daily crypto-trading volumes since then.
However, despite the country’s legislative uncertainty on whether cryptocurrency investing is permissible and the extreme volatility of pricing, India is home to around 10.07 million bitcoin owners.