New data from Galaxy Research shows Skype use amongst Australians over the Christmas/New Year period increased considerably over the previous year.
The study surveyed a sample of 1,010 Skype users, distributed throughout Australia and asked them about their use of Skype over the Christmas and New Year period with an aim to better understand how users were using the service to bring family and friends closer during the holiday period.
Highlights of the research include:
- 84 percent of Skype users in Australia reported similar or increased usage of Skype this holiday period over the same period last year.
- 78 percent used the software to wish their family and friends a “Merry Christmas”.
- 55 percent used Skype to wish their loved ones a “Happy New Year”.
- The first people to be contacted on New Year’s were typically family members (76 per cent). Friends accounted for 19 percent of Happy New Years Skype calls and boyfriends/girlfriends just 4 percent.
While respondents indicated email was the favourite way to keep in touch with friends and relatives, mobile phones (25 percent), followed by Facebook (19 percent) and Skype (17 percent). Around half of respondents used video calling, seeing this as an important way to connect with geographically spread family members.
