# Impact of Response Latency on User Behaviour in Mobile Web Search

arXiv: https://arxiv.org/abs/2101.09086 · HTML: https://mlsanity.com/paper/2101.09086/

## Key facts

- Cited by 4 papers in the map (data through 14 Oct 2026).
- First posted on arXiv 22 Jan 2021.

## Built on by (most cited first, 4 of 4)

- [CounterNet: End-to-End Training of Prediction Aware Counterfactual Explanations](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2109.07557/) (2021)
- [Maturity Framework for Enhancing Machine Learning Quality](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2502.15758/) (2025)
- [QoNext: Towards Next-generation QoE for Foundation Models](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2509.21889/) (2025)
- [NaiLIA: Multimodal Nail Design Retrieval Based on Dense Intent Descriptions and Palette Queries](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2603.05446/) (2026)

## Abstract (arXiv)

Traditionally, the efficiency and effectiveness of search systems have both been of great interest to the information retrieval community. However, an in-depth analysis of the interaction between the response latency and users' subjective search experience in the mobile setting has been missing so far. To address this gap, we conduct a controlled study that aims to reveal how response latency affects mobile web search. Our preliminary results indicate that mobile web search users are four times more tolerant to response latency reported for desktop web search users. However, when exceeding a certain threshold of 7-10 sec, the delays have a sizeable impact and users report feeling significantly more tensed, tired, terrible, frustrated and sluggish, all which contribute to a worse subjective user experience.