Part of the smartphone generation? We all are!
There were 6.8 billion smartphone users worldwide in 2023.
According to recent reports, an average person spends 3 hours and 15 minutes on their phone every day.
Since 2016, the number of smartphone users worldwide has grown by 50%.
Is your smartphone a constant companion?
An average person checks their smartphone 58 times per day.
78% of females claim to spend more time on their smartphones than their partners.
Are you ready to rethink your screen time?
Check out surprising smartphone usage statistics that reveal the digital revolution.
Top Smartphone Usage Statistics: Editor’s Pick
- An average person spends 3 hours and 15 minutes on their phone every day. [3]
- 1 in 5 smartphone users spends 4.5 hours or above on average on their phones every day. [1]
- Almost 52% of phone checks were recorded during working hours. [1]
- 11% of Americans admitted that they spend 7+ hours on their phones each day. [6]
- Mississippi had the highest average time (5 hours 40 minutes) spent on smartphones per capita. [6]
- Ohio has the lowest average screen time (3 hours 36 minutes) per capita each day. [6]
- Texting on smartphones increased by 37% during covid. [7]
- In 2023, mobile commerce accounted for 73% of e-commerce. [13]
- 68.8% of people believe that screen time is affecting their mental health negatively. [3]
- 42.8% of people feel that using smartphones for long hours has reduced their attention span.[3]
- By 2025, an estimated 72.6% of global smartphone owners will access the internet solely using their smartphones. [11]
Average Time Spent On Smartphone Statistics
There were 6.8 billion smartphone users worldwide in 2023. [2]
According to recent reports, an average person spends 3 hours and 15 minutes on their phone every day. [3]
1 in 5 smartphone users spends 4.5 hours or above on average on their phones every day. [1]
An average person checks their smartphone 58 times per day. [1]
When was the last time you checked your phone?
It is surprising to note that people use smartphones more on weekdays compared to weekends. [1]
Almost 52% of phone checks were recorded during working hours. [1]
The average time spent on a smartphone per pick-up is about 1 minute 15 seconds in a day. [1]
Smartphone Usage In US Statistics
Are Americans spending too much time on their phones?
- 11% of Americans admitted that they spend 7+ hours on their phones each day. [6]
- About 46% of Americans said that they spend an average of 4 to 5 hours on their smartphones each day.
- While 22% claim to spend between 3 and 4 hours on their phones.
- 16% think they spend an average of 1 to 2 hours on their phone per day.
- 1 in 20 (5%) Americans stated they use their phones less than 1 hour per day.
Source: SellCell
Mississippi had the highest average time (5 hours 40 minutes) spent on smartphones per capita. [6]
Ohio has the lowest average screen time (3 hours 36 minutes) per capita each day. [6]
The average smartphone user touches their phone after every 10 to 12 minutes in the US. [12]
Smartphone Usage By Demographics
Who is an average smartphone user?
Is smartphone usage different for various groups and categories?
Let’s find out!
About 3 in 4 Gen Zs admit to spending more time on their smartphones than they would like each day. [4]
While nearly half of the Baby Boomers feel they spend more hours than they prefer on smartphones. [4]
The average smartphone screen time for females was approximately 2 hours and 47 minutes per day, compared to 2 hours and 34 minutes for males. [5]
Worldwide Smartphone Usage Over Time
- There has been a 30% increase in smartphone app usage time globally. [16]
- India leads in smartphone app usage time, with an increment of 80%, followed by Russia at 50% since 2019. [16]
- There has been a 45% increase in smartphone app usage time in Indonesia and Turkey. [16]
- The reported daily average hours spent on cell phones was 3 hours globally in 2019. [17]
- It grew to 4 hours in 2021. [17]
- The average daily smartphone screen time in China is predicted to hit 3 hours 50 minutes. [17]
How Do People Spend Time On Smartphones?
What do you do on the phone?
It is not surprising that almost everyone uses a smartphone for the internet. [5]
In 2011, people used phones for the internet for only 32 minutes. [5]
The data went up to 1 hour and 3 minutes, in 2014. [5]
As of 2021, the average daily time spent using the internet on a smartphone was approximately 2 hours and 35 minutes. [6]
Most people use the internet on their desktops.
While social media binds people to the internet and smartphones. [6]
51.8% of people admitted to using social media because of boredom. [6]
Here we have reviewed the 2023 survey on smartphone usage.
| Activity | Percentage of Users |
|---|---|
| Emails | 83% |
| Taking Photos | 83% |
| Surfing the Internet | 76% |
| Maps/Directions | 73% |
| Online Shopping | 71% |
| Check/Post Social Media | 67% |
| Listening To Music/Podcasts | 66% |
| Watch Short Videos (Clips/Messages) | 65% |
| Online Banking | 60% |
| Video Calls | 59% |
| Taking Videos | 58% |
| Reading news | 58% |
| General purpose apps | 57% |
| Playing Games (Apps) | 52% |
| Watch long videos (Movies/TV) | 44% |
| Online Dating | 5% |
Analyzing the habits of smartphone users, here is the list of activities they perform, along with the average time they spend on it.
| Smartphone Activities | Once a day | 1 to 3 times per day | 4 to 7 times per day | 8 to 10 times per day | 10 times or more | Don’t know |
| Update social media | 43% | 27% | 10% | 5% | 6% | 9% |
| Makes phone calls | 24% | 44% | 17% | 7% | 6% | 4% |
| Texting | 16% | 30% | 19% | 13% | 18% | 4% |
| Take photos/record videos | 51% | 27% | 8% | 3% | 4% | 7% |
| Listen to music, podcasts, audiobooks | 48% | 23% | 8% | 4% | 5% | 12% |
| Watch movies/video content | 49% | 22% | 9% | 3% | 5% | 11% |
| Use gps navigation | 63% | 18% | 3% | 1% | 2% | 12% |
Changes In Smartphone Usage Due To Covid
How did you pass time sitting isolated at home during Covid?
Mostly smartphones, right?!
The use of smartphones highly increased during Covid and people were indulged in the following activities.
- Texting on smartphones increased by 37% during Covid. [7]
- Video calling increased by 32%.
- Browsing social media increased by 36%.
- Using shopping apps increased by 23%.
Mobile E-Commerce Statistics
According to a retail app usage study, 21% of mobile users reported using these apps multiple times daily, while 22% reported using them once daily. [13]
35% of mobile users use mobile retail apps multiple times a week. [13]
In 2023, mobile commerce accounted for 73% of e-commerce. [13]
55% of buyers make mobile purchases after seeing products on social media. [13]
The number of mobile shoppers in the United States is set to increase to 187 million by the end of 2024. [14]
How Does Smartphone Affect Your Health And Work?
- According to a survey, 68.8% of people believe that screen time is affecting their mental health negatively. [3]
- While only about 1 in 10 people believe screen time has a positive effect on mental health. [3]
- 54.7% of people confirmed that they have strained eyes due to smartphones. [3]
- 21% of people reported feeling depressed due to using smartphones and social media. [3]
- 42.8% of people feel that using smartphones for long hours has reduced their attention span.
- 29.5% of people suffer back problems and aches due to sitting for long hours scrolling smartphones.
All negatives?
No, some people have highly praised smartphones too!
51.4% of people said that they feel more informed and have access to unlimited education on smartphones. [8]
18.4% feel more productive while having phones with them. [8]
42.8% of users believe that smartphones have widened their worldview. [9]
48.1% of people said that they feel more connected due to smartphones. On the contrary, 22.6% believe smartphones made us less connected in the true sense. [9]
Is Smartphone Affecting Your Relationships?
- It is concerning to note that 78% of females claim to spend more time on their smartphones than their partners. [5]
- The percentage is a little lower for males as 64% of males believe they spend more time on their smartphones than their partners. [5]
- 17% of women have interrupted bedroom intimacy to check their phone. [5]
- Shockingly, 30% of people agreed to message their partner when both are home, rather than have a face-to-face conversation. [5]
- Only 18% of homes have “no phone zones”. [5]
- 25% of people have had an argument caused by mobile phone use. [5]
Smartphone Addictiveness Statistics
24% of Gen Zs admitted that smartphone overuse has become a problem. [4]
41% of Gen Zs confirmed that they are actively taking steps to reduce their screen time. [4]
Source: SimpleTexting
Future Projections And Trends Of Smartphone Usage
- Smartphone usage is expected to grow by 2 to 3% i.e, about 7.34 billion in 2025. [10]
- By 2027, there will be an estimated 7.69 billion smartphone subscriptions. [11]
- By 2025, an estimated 72.6% of global smartphone owners will access the internet solely using their smartphones. [11]
- There are roughly 10.37 billion mobile connections worldwide. [15]
- In 2016, global smartphone users were only 3.67 billion, accounting for 45% of the total population. [15]
- As of 2023, the number of smartphone users now stands at 85% of the total world population. [15]
- Since 2016, the number of smartphone users worldwide has grown by 50%. [15]
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FAQs
What are mobile traffic statistics?
The amount of data consumed while using smartphones accounts for mobile traffic. The average smartphone user uses 19.08 GB of internet monthly as of 2023.
How many times does an average American check their phone per day?
An average American checks their phone 96 times per day, or once every 10 to 12 minutes.
How many smartphones are sold each year?
Over 1.5 billion smartphones are sold around the world each year.
What are smartphone addiction statistics?
47% of people believe they’re addicted to their phones. 71% check their phone within the first 10 minutes of waking up. 70% check their phone within the first 5 minutes of receiving a notification and feel uneasy if their phone is not around.
How e-commerce is affected by mobiles?
35% of mobile users use mobile retail apps multiple times a week.
In 2023, m-commerce accounted for 73% of e-commerce. 55% of buyers make mobile purchases after seeing products on social media.
Conclusion
Smartphone usage is increasing significantly as the number of smartphone users worldwide has grown by 50%, since 2016. By 2027, there will be an estimated 7.69 billion smartphone subscriptions. People are spending hours on phones surfing, shopping, scrolling, or posting.
Sources
- Rescue Time. Here’s how much you use your phone during the workday
- BankmyCell. How Many Smartphones Are in the World?
- SimpleTexting. Screen Time Trends in The Age of COVID-19
- ResearchGate. How Age and Gender Affect Smartphone Usage
- SellCell. Smartphone Relationship Survey
- eMarketer. US Time Spent with Mobile 2021
- MarketPlus. Media Wrap-up 2020
- Daily Mail. People spend 4-8 hours per day on mobile apps research shows
- Marketing Charts. Smartphones Now Account for 70% of US Digital Media Time
- GSMA. The Mobile Economy 2020
- Ericsson. Mobility Visualizer
- Fox 13. Americans check their smartphones 96 times a day, survey says
- Oberlo. Mobile Commerce Sales in 2021
- Appinventiv. Future of Mobile Commerce: Stats & Trends to Know in 2021-2025
- Statista. Number of smartphone users from 2016 to 2021
- Statista. How much time on average do you spend on your phone on a daily basis?
- Forbes. Record 3.8 Trillion Hours Spent On Mobile Apps During 2021 In Another Blockbuster Year For Digital Economy
Manisha is a digital writer providing guidance in career development and growth. She facilitates skill development and implementation of the right strategies for advancement. At Jobera, She documents content around the latest market trend analysis, insights, and career planning.