Nowadays, it’s rare to see someone without their smartphone nearby.
In today’s modern age of technology, the smartphone is king.
In the following smartphone usage statistics, we are going to learn about how smartphones are used and who uses them.
Moreover, we will learn smartphone usage habits, behaviors, demographics, and other facts and figures related to how we all use smartphones.
Do you know how much time you spend on your smartphone every day?
We’ll be discussing some average statistics about that.
We’ll also cover the benefits and downsides of using smartphones along with addiction and some harmful effects that can occur due to heavy usage of these devices and how you can avoid such issues.
Let’s dig into these statistics.
Key Statistics
- In 2021, the United States the smartphone penetration rate was 72.7%
- As of 2023, 5.25 billion people on Earth are smartphone users.
- 68% of smartphone users check their phones within 15 minutes after waking.
- Today’s children get their first mobile phone at about 12 years old.
- 47% of smartphone users in the U.S. revealed they can’t live without their phones.
- Roughly 84% of all mobile phones are smartphones.
- In the U.S., smartphone usage accounts for 70% of all digital media time.
- In 2022, adults in the U.S. spent 52 minutes on mobile browsers alone.
- American adults say they check their smartphones within five minutes after getting a notification.
- Philippine smartphone users spend the most time on their phones at over 5 hours per day.
Top Smartphone Usage Statistics in 2024
1. In 2021, the United States the Smartphone Penetration Rate Was 72.7%
Statista shared a chart representing smartphone penetration rates in the United States between 2010 and 2021.
In 2010, the penetration rate was only 20.2%. By 2021, that rose to 72.7%.
More recently, Zippia reported that 81.6% of Americans will own a smartphone in 2023.
That represents 270 million people in the U.S. alone.
(Statista, Zippia)
2. As of 2023, 5.25 Billion People on Earth Are Smartphone Users.
The United States isn’t the only place where smartphone users reside.
At the global level, there are 5.25 billion users of smartphones as of 2023.
This represents an increase of 4.9% annually from 2016.
As this growth trend continues, it’s expected to grow to 5.47 million users in 2024, 5.67 million in 2025, 5.85 million in 2026, 6.01 million by 2027, and 6.16 million by 2028!
(Oberlo)
3. 68% of Smartphone Users Check Their Phones Within 15 Minutes After Waking.
Google points out an interesting statistic about how 68% of smartphone users say they check their smartphones within 15 minutes after they wake up each morning.
This data is likely the same for night shift workers that sleep during the day and work at night.
While this data is from Google Consumer Surveys in August 2015, there’s no doubt that it’s still a significant habit in 2023.
(Think with Google)
4. Today’s Children Get Their First Mobile Phone at About 12 Years Old.
According to the latest research, 56% of kids aged 8 to 12 have mobile phones.
Another 21% of kids under 8 years old and younger use a smartphone.
Moreover, 69% of the time, families with kids aged 8 years and younger own a smartphone.
It’s common for families with children to buy a smartphone for their children by the age of 10.
Fathers are more apt to favor giving their young children smartphones than mothers.
(Leftronic)
5. 47% of Smartphone Users in The U.S. Revealed They Can’t Live without Their Phones.
A Bank of America survey from 2014 revealed that 47% (almost half) of adults in the United States said they wouldn’t last a full day without their smartphone.
Moreover, it was found that 91% claimed that their smartphone is as vital to them as deodorant and their car.
Furthermore, 3 in 10 people said they would go back home to get their smartphone if they forget it regardless of the distance they would have to drive or ride.
(Review 42, USA Today)
6. Roughly 84% of All Mobile Phones Are Smartphones.
Globally, smartphones account for 84% of all mobile phones.
This information comes from DataReportal in terms of mobile phone growth in usage.
Adoption rates all over the globe show that around 67% of the global population uses some kind of mobile phone, which represents 5.56 billion as of April 2023.
(DataReportal)
7. In the U.S., Smartphone Usage Accounts for 70% of All Digital Media Time.
This data relates to how people watch/view digital content like video, apps, audiobooks, web articles, podcasts, etc.
So, of all the ways people engage with digital media in terms of device usage in the United States, 70% of that belongs to smartphones.
This data is from 2019, so it’s likely higher now, but this is the most recent data available.
For comparison, this figure was at 57% in 2017.
(Oberlo²)
8. In 2022, Adults in The U.S. Spent 52 Minutes on Mobile Browsers Alone.
In 2022, adults in the United States spent an average of 52 minutes on their smartphones viewing mobile browsers.
This spent time is expected to decrease to 51 minutes over 2023, but as mobile apps evolve, time spent on mobile browsers will continue to decrease in the coming years.
(Insider Intelligence: eMarketer)
9. American Adults Say They Check Their Smartphones Within Five Minutes After Getting a Notification.
The habits of American adults show that they check their phones within five minutes of getting a notification.
Another 75% say they use their phones while they are on the toilet. Moreover, 89% say they check their phones within 10 minutes of waking.
(Reviews)
10. Philippine Smartphone Users Spend the Most Time on Their Phones at Over 5 Hours per Day.
Statistics from 2021 revealed that in the Philippines, smartphone users spend an average of over 5 hours and 30 minutes on their phones.
Also in Asia, smartphone owners in Thailand spend an average of 5 hours and 28 minutes on their phones.
Other countries where over 5 hours are spent on smartphones include Brazil, Colombia, South Africa, Argentina, and Nigeria.
(Exploding Topics)
11. The Global Average Time Spent on Smartphones Accounts for An Average of 3 Hours and 43 Minutes.
We know that the most time spent on smartphones belongs to the people of the Philippines and a few other countries that spend over 5 hours on their phones per day.
The United States smartphone population spends an average of 3 hours of 30 minutes on their phones per day, which is just below the global average.
Japan ranks 47th in smartphone time usage at an average of 1 hour and 39 minutes per day.
(Exploding Topics)
12. 60% of Smartphone Users Claim to Use Their Phones to Find New Products or Companies.
A Google/Ipsos Connect survey from 2018 revealed that 60% of smartphone users say that they search on their phones to find new products and companies.
Another 59% of shoppers surveyed said that the ability to shop via mobile is important to them when choosing a retailer or brand.
(Think with Google²)
13. Americans Claim to Check Their Smartphones 96 Times per Day on Average.
One study reported that Americans check their phones at least an average of 96 times each day.
More accurately, they check their smartphones 160 times per day.
Checking your smartphone 96 times per day translates into checking your phone every 10 minutes all day long.
(Zippia)
14. 76% of People Across 18 Developed Countries Are Smartphone Owners.
Since smartphone ownership isn’t the same all over the world, we want to spend a moment on this topic.
In developing countries, studies show that 45% of people own a smartphone.
South Korea has the highest share in smartphone ownership at 95%.
The other 5% is mobile phone ownership (non-smartphone).
(Leftronic)
15. The Most Smartphone Users in The World Are in China with Over 782 Million.
China has the most smartphone users on Earth with 782 million owners/users.
The country with the highest penetration rate is the United Arab Emirates with an 82.2% penetration rate.
The lowest users of smartphones are in Bangladesh with a population ratio of 5.4%.
(Review 42)
16. Smartphone Usage Is Growing at A Yearly Rate of 4.6%.
Statistics show that smartphone usage is showing growth at a yearly rate of 4.6%.
In just the last 12 months, 300 million new smartphones have been activated.
Ericsson data revealed that mobile connections among smartphones now accounts for 6.7 billion.
(DataReportal)
17. 54.8% of All Global Web Traffic Now Comes from Mobile Devices, Including Smartphones.
Sooner or later statistics will discern between smartphone and regular mobile traffic, but for now we have this data which includes all mobile devices except tablets.
Until recent years, web traffic worldwide was equally divided (mostly) between mobile and desktop traffic.
However, as of 2021, 54.8% of all global traffic accounted for mobile devices with tablets being an exception.
(Blogging Wizard)
18. By 2026, Smartphone Data Usage Is Expected to Reach 35GB.
According to analytics, the development of 5G technology that generates faster connections and internet speeds will prompt data usage growth.
In fact, experts expect that the average data usage will account for 35GB by 2026 compared to the 10GB of 2020.
(Oberlo²)
19. Gen Z Smartphone Users Say They Use Their Phones More than They Prefer.
You may be thinking that if people are on their phones more than they prefer to be, they should simply try to reduce screen time.
That’s what this data is about.
Among Gen Z smartphone users, 76.3% say that they are on their phones more than is preferable.
Another 41% say they are taking steps to reduce their screen time
(Exploding Topics)
20. The Fastest Mobile Internet Speeds Are Found in Monaco.
You read that right. Monaco is where the highest mobile internet speeds are right now.
As of 2023, the mobile internet speed is 319.59 Mbps.
Singapore is soon to follow suit with speeds of 300.83 Mbps and Chile has an average internet speed of 298.5 Mbps.
Will that cause an increase in smartphone usage? All signs point to yes.
(DataProt)
FAQs
What Is an Acceptable Time for Being on Your Smartphone?
We’ve learned that the global average for time spent on smartphones is over 3 hours per day.
However, medical professionals say that you should be using it no more than 2 hours per day.
Likewise, there are some experts that say you should limit your smartphone time on workdays to one hour.
What Are Some Side Effects of Too Much Smartphone Screen Time?
There are several adverse side effects of using your smartphone too much.
One is that using your smartphone for a prolonged time will result in a reduction in your attention span.
Other side effects can include an increased risk for obesity, health problems, eye strain, and poor sleep habits.
Experts have said that even the global average of 3 hours and 43 minutes is an unhealthy amount of screen time.
How Much Is the Smartphone Industry Worth?
According to Global Newswire and Fortune Business Insights, at the end of 2022, the smartphone market size accounted for $484.81 (USD).
Projections reveal that by 2029, the smartphone market will be worth $792.51 (USD).
Between 2022 and 2029 it was predicted that the market will have a CAGR of 7.3%.
More data from the Census Bureau shows that Apple leads in the United States market with a 58.37% share while Samsung enjoys a 27.83% share (second only to Apple).
Together Apple and Samsung dominate the smartphone market.
Furthermore, the Census Bureau estimated that smartphone sales between 2022 and 2023 accounted for $74.4 billion (USD) in the United States.
Conclusion
These statistics should convince the most resistant naysayer that it’s vital nowadays to optimize your websites for mobile users.
Smartphones are so widely used today that if your sites and content aren’t mobile-friendly, you’re going to lose business.
Let’s face it.
Everyone of almost every age, in every country, and across all demographics owns a smartphone.
Today, we all rely heavily on our smartphones and internet/data connectivity.
We hope you have learned some new things from these smartphone usage statistics that will be of value to you.