MA Net enables evaluations of the distribution and intensity of use of the Internet in Switzerland. The usage data can be cross-referenced with various socio-demographic and geographical data. The 2024-1 edition is the first to show which operating system the respondents use on their smartphones to surf the internet. The two operating systems Android and iOS dominate with a total share of over 96%.

There are clear differences between the profiles of iOS and Android users. For example, iOS has a slightly above-average prevalence in cities and adjacent conurbations. In rural areas, on the other hand, the Android operating system is more popular. Socio-demographic characteristics, particularly in the areas of employment and education, also have an influence on operating system preferences. For example, executives in upper or middle management and people with a higher level of education are more likely than average to use iOS as their operating system. In contrast, the gender or age of the respondents in the study had less influence on the preferred operating system.

In addition to socio-demographic characteristics, interest profiles of the user base can also be identified. People who use iOS have an above-average interest in fashion and cosmetics, as well as financial investments and stock markets. In contrast, Android users show a greater interest in science and technology.

The MA Net surveys the overall prevalence of the Internet and its intensity of use. The Swiss and Liechtenstein resident populations aged 14 and over are analyzed. The Wemf study is published twice a year.

In Switzerland, 93.9 percent of the population aged 14 and over are now online. That is a good seven percentage points more than ten years ago. The over-65s made a significant contribution to this growth: Of them, 77.6 percent are active on the Internet. These are the findings of the latest edition of the basic study on Internet use, MA Net.

The study enables evaluations of the penetration and usage intensity of the Internet in Switzerland. The usage data can be cross-referenced with various sociodemographic and geographic data. The latest figures show that the proportion of Internet users has risen steadily in recent years: in 2013, 86.7 percent of the Swiss population aged 14 and over used the Internet, compared with 93.9 percent today. Internet use has increased significantly among the over-65s in particular. In 2023, 77.6 percent of retirees will be active on the Internet. Two years ago, the figure was just 72.5 percent.

At 93.6 percent, the most popular device for surfing is the smartphone, according to Wemf. A gender comparison showed that overall, more men used the Internet than women. Meanwhile, women caught up and their use increased from 90.4 percent two years ago to 92 percent in 2023. After the smartphone, the laptop or notebook ranks with 75.4 in the ranking of devices used. 50.2 percent use a tablet for surfing.

In addition to overall Internet usage intensity, MA Net also provides information on Internet usage by location and device. As of this year, usage via smartwatch and game console is also reported for the first time. Another innovation concerns the definition of the population (universe), which has been slightly adjusted. As of publication 2023-2 of MA Net, the population group of non-language-assimilated persons is included in the universe. The purpose of this adjustment is to harmonize the MACH universe with that of other Swiss currency studies, making intermedia comparisons easier and fairer. (jg/ SDA)