Smartphones in bathrooms isn’t a strange phenomenon, and in fact you might probably even see it more often in Japan, due to their traditional o-furo style bathtub dipping. For one Japanese blog though, information is a necessity, so they asked a small sample of Japanese citizens just what they feel about this activity.
From a minute sample of about 225 smartphone users, their small survey showed that almost 40% of those they asked have admitted to have used smartphones in bathrooms. Within that 40%, around 36.3% of those are male and 41.1% are female. The survey specifically indicated data from users who fiddle their smartphones when they are already dipping in their hot tubs, and not while doing anything else (brushing, face washing, etc.).
So, what could they be doing with their smartphones during baths? The top spot for that goes to e-mail and message checking (62.1%), followed closely by SNS checking, and regular web browsing (44.8%). Other activities listed include watching or streaming videos (24.1%), and talking over the phone (18.4%).
Despite the small sample, the figures shown by this simple survey are actually quite significant, because using smartphones in bathrooms is an entirely different business compared to when they are used in toilets and restrooms (for obvious reasons). This is even more so when we are talking about Japanese baths. As hinted earlier, dipping in o-furo style hot tubs usually last for a minimum time of about 10 minutes, and could even last as long as half an hour. This “time gap of doing nothing” may explain why they would need something to play around with or use during baths.
In addition, there is also the known fact that there are even specific products that promotes the activity, so that may also be a considerable element or factor.
