The proportion of people who carry out safe shopping online and access other web-based services from their smartphones is still on the rise, with the latest study from Google showing that almost two thirds of consumers commonly get online via their mobile handset.

When a similar report was conducted back in 2012, this proportion of regular users was much lower, at 35 per cent, showing that rapid growth and a change of habits continue to sway the wider marketplace.

Smartphone ownership in Britain currently sits at 74 per cent, while 92 per cent own a mobile device of some kind. Consumers can be expected to rely upon over three web-enabled devices on a regular basis, factoring in smartphones alongside things like smart TVs as well as traditional desktop and laptop computers.

The study found that smartphones have just overtaken PCs in terms of the proportion of people who use them to get online. Meanwhile, 53 per cent of people use tablets like the iPad for internet access, showing that this part of the market has definitely hit a plateau.

Fifty four per cent of respondents to the study said that when faced with a task, they would choose to complete it digitally rather than in any other form if an online option is available to them. Half said that their mobile device is the first thing they pick up each day, usually because it acts as their alarm clock as well as their portal to the web and conduit for safe shopping online.

This global study revealed that the UK remains a world leader when it comes to smartphone use, especially for retail purposes. And with 26 per cent of people still yet to adopt a smartphone, there is room for further growth in this segment.