Across America, social distancing is causing people to find alternative modes of communication to in-person hangouts – and it’s the humble phone call that’s coming in hot. Eager for modes of speaking that feel intimate but not exhausting, people are reassessing the communications options on offer.

Mobile messaging is undergoing a sea-change as people shun calls and texts for multimedia forms of communication. How does the spoken word fit into this landscape? Canvas8 spoke to 20 people from across the UK to understand how and when they use voice features on mobile messaging apps.

Just as Gen Yers relied on text-based instant messaging for years before graduating to image-focused apps like Instagram and Snapchat, Gen Z’s communication habits are steadily shifting to embrace a new medium: voice notes. But why are more teens choosing to talk rather than type?

As lockdown measures keep people indoors globally, brands and individuals have harnessed innovative ways to beam social events into homes. But now that such activities are bleeding into private spaces, people – introverts in particular – are struggling to maintain balance.