No digital detox this summer: smartphones replace the classic GPS for travel and keep us constantly connected, even at the poolside

Everything changes. And the way we travel is changing, too. A survey of 1,200 Orange customers in Belgium shows that 2017 is the year in which GPS features and applications on our 4G smartphones will establish their supremacy. The young public especially is saying goodbye to the classic GPS navigator and is opting for digital road apps. And not only in the car, travelling Orange customers stay connected during their entire holiday.

Belgians are real epicureans and travelling is part of their lifestyle. 56% of men surveyed and 44% of women travel several times a year. Only 14% of all respondents never travel.

Smartphones replace the classic GPS

The smartphone has become essential for Belgians when they travel by car or when they rent a car to explore their holiday destination. The smartphone shifts from the rear seat to the driver. The end of the GPS era seems close. We spent years driving abroad with a map until the classical GPS came along and map reading suddenly took another dimension. In 2017, the torch has been officially passed on to GPS applications such as Google Maps. 44% of respondents (56% of them under the age of 30) use the application because of real-time updates and contemporary versions of maps. Men (49%) use the application more than women (36%).

But Orange customers don’t necessarily need to install an advanced GPS application. Customers who have a Koala, Panther or Eagle (Premium) rate plan can enjoy the iCoyote mobile application (subscription is free of charge) on their 4G smartphones. iCoyote provides real-time information about potential hazards on the road and shows the best itineraries thanks to its advanced GPS system. The iCoyote application features maps of 23 countries including France, Germany, Denmark, Italy, Croatia, The Netherlands, Austria, Spain...

People who are planning to use their smartphone as a GPS on their holiday can simply pass by an Orange shop to get a nice and handy smartphone holder to make sure they will drive safely when following GPS instructions.

Always connected, even at the poolside

Travelling Orange customers don’t go on a digital detox according to the study, quite the opposite. One in three uses WiFi or a hotspot on vacation. Since 11 June, Orange customers use their call minutes, mobile data and text messages from their national bundle when they roam in the EU, as if they were in Belgium. Orange expects its customers to use even more mobile data thanks to their cheap rate plans, both in Belgium and on holiday in the EU.

Beyond the beautiful weather or attractions, young people under the age of 30 enjoy watching TV with their 4G smartphones. 25% regularly watch videos and films on YouTube / Netflix or choose a series and 17% of respondents even do this daily. Online browsing (52%) and social media visits (53%) are also a popular way to spend time under the parasol. And Belgians don’t forget the home front. Almost half of Orange customers make Skype or Facetime calls to their family.