"The average UK citizen owns 9.7 devices capable of accessing media via any transmission technology; the highest in Europe... The UK consumer is more connected than ever before and more willing to customise their device portfolio to match their needs."

Just under 50% of UK adults now owns a smartphone and they are using them more than ever to access the internet and consume media, content and services. It is well documented that younger people have a preference for smartphones; now 66% of people aged between 14-24 yrs owns one. Not far behind are 25-34 year olds (62%) and 58% of 35-44 year olds own an Android or iPhone.

What is interesting is when we look at other groups in society and trends; 39% of people in households with less than £12,500 income use a mobile phone to access the internet and 59% of people are labeled as 'next generation user' accessing the internet with multiple computers, readers, tablets and laptops. So the opportunity to reach people on a variety of mobile technologies is great and Looking Local has developed a range of smartphone apps which address specific partners' needs.

Report It (Android & iPhone)

'Report It' enables users to quickly report local issues such as graffiti, abandoned vehicles, potholes, damage to street furniture, anti-social behaviour and dumped rubbish. In five easy steps the user can map where the problem is, attach a photo and a comment and submit the report which then goes the relevant council responsible.

The SOCITM Better Connected Report 2011 promotes the functions of the Looking Local app as key for local government: 'Fault reporting in particular lends itself to smartphones, as potentially communication can be made easier and more effective using the automatic location detection and camera integration'.

The Looking Local app is available in the iTunes App Store here.

The Android version is available in the Android Market here.

Tablet

Tablet computers are storming the market with 67 million shipped worldwide in 2011 and 100 million units are planned for 2012. Take up of tablets has been strong across all age groups in the UK (highest in the 35-44 age group); now 3 million UK adults own a tablet.

Looking Local has developed and integrated a suite of applications as part of the Virtex project, the solution delivers healthcare and social services to older people, who do not have prior internet or technology experience. Issues being addressed include isolation and loneliness, as well as ensuring service efficiencies and time/financial savings.

To read more click here.

Volunteering

Available for free in the Android Market, the Do-it app allows people across the UK to discover new volunteering opportunities from youth work to music, gardening to art and everything in between. The app takes advantage of the Android phone's GPS functionality and allows users to search by geography, by distance, as well as their area of volunteering interest or qualification.

To read more click here.

This volunteering app is available in the Android Market here.

NEETs

In partnership with Calderdale & Kirklees Careers, Looking Local has developed an app specifically targeting NEETs (16-18 year olds Not in Education, Employment or Training), offering them direct access to local job and training opportunities. Results show that the app has value to both the NEETs as well as personal career advisors, who are using it whilst out of the office and in other informal environments.

The app is available in the Android Market here.

Mobile app strategy for Looking Local partners

In parallel with the development of the Looking Local smartphone apps as described above, we are extending our smartphone platform to support the development of standalone partner apps. This will allow the most popular partner services currently 'plugged-in' to Looking Local's technology to be surfaced as apps; anything from housing repairs to payments. Additional development will ensure that the smartphone capabilities are integrated to enable the app's usability and usefulness.

With many of Looking Local's partners lacking the resources or technical capability to undertake multi-platform and smartphone app development in-house, we have received positive feedback on these new additions to the overall Looking Local package which will help them internally to ensure continued funding for alternative and new channels.

Looking Local continues to pursue a platform agnostic strategy; we are equally happy for people to access the service via the SKY and Virgin interactive TV platforms, smartphone apps, mobile phone browsers, and other Internet-connected devices such as the Nintendo Wii.