Consumers in Hong Kong are “increasingly turning to apps on their tablets”, according to research from GfK Hong Kong.

The study found that 85 per cent of tablet-owning respondents “enjoy and actively browse” to find the latest apps on their device, which follows with nine-in-ten downloading free titles.

Three quarters of those downloading paid products spent an average of HKD100 ($13) per month.

The main source of information about apps are app stores, social media, and friends or family recommendations.

However, the company found that the most effective trigger to drive downloads are online versions of “mainstream” media such as newspapers, radio, magazines and TV.

Apps most frequently used by consumers are games (64 per cent), social networking (53 per cent), weather (49 per cent) and entertainment (48 per cent).

Walter Leung, MD of GfK Hong Kong, said: “The overwhelming choices of apps means some may get neglected and seldom utilised after being downloaded. This is evidence of the famous long tail concerning digital content – an app really needs to have a powerful benefit and relevance or they will fail in the battle to occupy a space on consumers’ smart devices.”

The GfK iPanel survey used online tools to poll residents of Hong Kong, aged between 18 and 65 using a quota on gender and age in line with the 2012 census in this market. A group of 317 tablet owners participated earlier this year.