Top tech stats: Post-Brexit industry confidence, biometric authentication & more

Welcome to your roundup of some of the past week’s most interesting surveys, statistics and reports relevant to those involved in the UK tech industry.

This week, we have statistics relating to multi-device websites, the ever-topical skills shortage, biometric authentication and the decline in the tech industry’s confidence following the Brexit vote.

Multi-device sites

Travel brands are strengthening their multi-device offering, with 80% successfully optimising their websites for mobile, according to a report launched by digital user experience agency, Sigma.

The survey tested the user accessibility of the top ten travel sites, including Skyscanner, Airbnb and OnTheBeach.

Between 2014 and 2015, 89% of holiday bookings were made online, and 40% of those surveyed booked a holiday via mobile or tablet in the same period.

Of the travel websites tested, eight out of 10 were mobile-friendly, and nine out of 10 had built their own mobile app, suggesting they are investing in their multi-device strategies.

However, the survey found only half of the websites were tablet-friendly.

Hilary Stephenson, managing director at Sigma, said: “Mobile apps give these travel businesses the freedom to provide a unique user experience for their customers on the move, and will provide a good return on investment. As a result, we think it’s just a matter of time before all travel companies have their own mobile app, but first, they need to make sure their websites are easy to use on tablet devices.”

Skills shortage

Trends vs Technologies, a research report from Capita Technology Solutions in partnership with Cisco, has revealed a lack of skills and understanding could be holding back the implementation of new technological trends.

The report included a survey of IT professionals across multiple industries within the commercial sector.

Key findings indicated a disconnect between the apparent relevance of a trend compared with the number of professionals who say their industry has the skills to implement it.

Some 70% of IT decision makers said the Internet of Things (IoT) was relevant to their business, but 71% said they do not have the skills to identify the opportunities for growth offered by IoT.

Also, 80% said they did not have the skills to capitalise on the data received from IoT, and just 30% said IoT was actually being implemented.

Adam Jarvis, managing director at Capita Technology Solutions, said: “Whilst it is encouraging that levels of awareness around the strategic benefits of those trends are high, these results suggest more needs to be done to support businesses and help them close what is a substantial skills gap.”

Similarly, 90% of decision makers said big data was relevant to their business, but only 39% said they were implementing big data, and 64% did not have the skills to recognise how they could use big data within their business.

“Without the necessary skills and infrastructure needed to implement trends such as IoT and big data, businesses across the board will suffer long-term competitive disadvantage; it is up to us as an industry to find the best and right ways to deliver that support,” Jarvis concluded.

Suspicion

A recent survey from YouGov, commissioned by internet service GMX, found 61% of Brits prefer passwords over biometric log-in methods.

Some 42% of the survey’s respondents said they do not wish for companies to collect, save, or use their personal data, and 41% percent fear not being able to access their online accounts as a result of malfunctions.

Also, 31% of those surveyed are anxious that online criminals might get past biometric authentication methods.

Jan Oetjen, CEO at GMX, said: “The survey shows that biometric log-in methods are far from becoming a mass market. Nevertheless, for more security throughout the internet it is very important that alternative authentication methods like biometry are being further researched. In order to meet the concerns of the users, providers have to fulfil high data protection requirements concerning the storage and use of biometrical data.”

Confident?

Results of a poll by techUK shows a 23% fall in confidence following the vote to leave the European Union.

The survey of 237 business leaders revealed 70% of tech companies are ‘positive’ about the UK tech sector’s potential for growth over the next two years, down from 93% in March 2016.

Only 20% of responding tech companies were ‘very positive’, down from 52% in March.

Similarly, nearly half of respondents said the outcome of the EU referendum would have a negative impact on foreign direct investment (49%), capital investment (48%), and R&D spend in the UK (48%) over the next two years.

In response to the survey findings, Julian David, CEO of techUK, called for tech and the digital economy to be placed at the heart of the UK Industrial Strategy: “Now is the time to develop a world-leading digital infrastructure, and make the UK the place to invest and grow. Government must power this digital revolution, and the Industrial Strategy is a great starting point. Government needs to lead by example and take the opportunity to focus not just on protecting traditional industries, but on growing these industries through digitisation and supporting new industries that will drive the future economy.”

That’s all for this week! To check out previous instalments of our tech stats series click here!