Radio audience measurement firm Rajar has found that in the United Kingdom, 8.1 million people - 16 percent of all adults - have downloaded podcasts, MediaGuardian reported today.

The survey also shows that 6.6 million people have listed to the radio on their smartphones, and 44 percent said they listen to a podcast at least once a week. Those who have downloaded a radio app have reached 2.2 million, a 57 percent increase in less than six months. In June, 1.4 million smartphone users said they had downloaded a radio app, Beehivecity noted.

"Listening to radio via smartphones has grown rapidly over the past year or so and this is reflected in the number of people who claim to have downloaded a radio app, which now stands at just over a quarter of smartphone owners," said Christel Swift, research manager for RAJAR, according to Radiotoday.co.uk.

Comedy and music are the most popular types of podcasts to download; however, just 24 percent of those who said they use podcasts have time to listen to everything downloaded each week, according to Beehivecity.