Google study reveals interesting voice search usage patterns among teens and adults
15 Oct 2014
Google is looking to create the impression that all the cool kids -- and at least a few hip adults were talking to Google. That was what, commentators said, both teens and adults used voice search for (including options like Siri or Cortana as also Google).
According to the survey, 55 per cent of teens between the ages of 13 and 17 used voice search at least twice every day, although only 41 per cent of those older than 18 were into voice search.
Google reported that 56 per cent of adults said, using voice search made them "feel tech savvy." There was however, no corresponding statistic for teens. Also while 45 per cent of adults surveyed said using voice search made them "feel like a geek''.
The activities that Americans used voice search for most also confirmed certain generational priorities or possibly deficiencies, according to commentators.
Calling someone was the most frequently cited use of voice search among teens, whereas adults used voice search mostly for getting directions.
In a further point of interest, the second most popular use of voice search for adults -- dictating texts, did not appear to rank among the top six functions for teens. However, getting help with homework did, as did the rather confusing practice of asking one's phone what time it was.
The study by market research firm Northstar also revealed that majority of teens (55 per cent) now conducted more than one voice search a day. Only 41 per cent of adults, meanwhile, conducted more than one voice search a day.
Though the study was presented by Google, it was not Google-specific, meaning it could include people who searched with Apple's Siri or Microsoft's Cortana.
The leading response from teens when asked to pick one thing they wished they could ask their phone to do for them, was ''send me a pizza'', while adults wanted search engines to "tell me where my keys are."
Northstar Research, gathered responses from 1,400 Americans, including 400 teens from age 13 to 17 and 1,000 adults age 18 and older for the study.
"We found that for teens, voice search comes as naturally as checking social media and they're getting very creative about how (and where) they use it," Scott Huffman, Google's vice president for conversational search, said in a release.
