Do you feel anxious or agitated when you forget to take your phone with you when you leave the house?
Have you ever promised yourself that you will put your phone away, only to find yourself using it anyway?
Breaking news—you’re not alone.
Nomophobia is the official term for smartphone addiction—a growing problem in modern society among both the younger and the older generations.
The following smartphone addiction statistics reveal the numerous issues caused by the excessive usage of these gadgets. Here are some of the most essential and intriguing facts about cell phone addiction.
Staggering Cell Phone Addiction Statistics to Keep in Mind (Editor’s Pick)
- 66% of respondents are afraid of being left without their phones.
- 20% of individuals would prefer to have no shoes for a week instead of no phone.
- 87% of mobile users check their phones within an hour of waking up or going to bed.
- Approximately 60% of consumers believe they can’t live without their cell phones.
- 50% of young people admit to being addicted to their cell phones.
- 65% of people check their phones 160 a day.
- 71% of individuals sleep with or near their cell phones.
- 40% of individuals never turn off their cell phones.
- Teenagers who spend five hours per day on electronic devices have a 71% greater risk of suicide than those who spend only one hour per day.
Cell Phone Addiction Facts
Cell phones have become a huge part of our lives. This massive cultural change resulted in a constant stream of information, which in turn is related to increased anxiety, stress, problems with focus and sleep, and much more.
Let’s take a quick look at some eye-opening smartphone addiction statistics that might change the way you use your smartphone.
1. Nomophobia affects around 66% of the population.
(Source: SlickText)
According to recent phone addiction statistics, people spend 2 hours and 51 minutes daily on average on their phones and 2,617 times every day.
What’s more, this usage isn’t limited to their free time—84% of adults in the US are on their mobile devices during working hours.
2. 39% of users report they are on their smartphones more than ever during COVID-19.
(Source: PR Newswire)
According to recent mobile phone addiction statistics, 39% of survey respondents have increased their reliance on their phones as a result of social distancing. Being forced to stay indoors, people spend most of their time on smartphones and other electronic devices.
3. 66% of Americans check their phones 160 times a day.
(Source: Small Business Trends)
According to recent cell phone use statistics, 66% of Americans check their phones 160 times a day. Almost the same percentage (65.7%) sleep with their cellphones at night.
4. The average person spends 4.2 hours each day on their phone using different apps.
(Source: App Annie)
According to a Q1 2021 survey from App Annie, the worldwide usage of mobile applications grew by 30% in only two years, showing we are becoming increasingly addicted to smartphone usage.
In certain places, the average time is even higher—more than five hours.
5. 60% of college students in the US believe they have a cell phone addiction.
(Source: Medium)
According to recent cell phone usage facts, 60% of college students in the US have a smartphone addiction.
This growing reliance on mobile devices correlates with the relatively recent introduction of the smartphone and is particularly prominent among young adults and college students.
6. The typical smartphone user interacts with their phone 2,617 times each day.
(Source: Network World)
Mobile phone obsession is real, and so are its consequences. According to recent research, the most addicted individuals touch, click or swipe on their mobile device 5,427 times a day.
Admittedly, this is only the top 10% of phone users, so one could anticipate it to be exorbitant. But the rest of us still interact with mobile devices excessively, reaching 2,617 clicks, touches, and swipes a day on average.
7. 40% of people check their mobile in the middle of the night.
(Source: Deloitte)
This clearly demonstrates how important these devices have become to us. It also reveals a concerning tendency.
Cell phone addiction studies show that the overuse of smartphones is harmful to both our physical and mental health.
Cell Phone Addicts Stats in 2022
The most frightening aspect of smartphone addiction is that it is so ubiquitous that many individuals remain oblivious to the addictive nature of these devices.
Let’s take a quick look at some eye-opening cell phone overuse stats.
8. There are more than 6 billion smartphone users in the world.
(Source: Statista)
Wondering how many people own cell phones?
The number of smartphone users globally is expected to increase by several hundred million over the next several years, exceeding 7500 billion in 2026. The nations with the most smartphone users are China, India, and the United States.
9. More than 75% of participants admitted to being addicted to smartphones.
(Source: Reviews)
According to a recent poll conducted by Reviews, around 75.4% of participants admit to being hooked to their phones.
Admittedly, people spend too much time on their phones, neglecting family members and significant others. Smartphones have even invaded our bedrooms—65.7% claim to sleep with their mobile.
10. Smartphones are the number one killer of office productivity.
(Source: CBS News)
According to the latest workplace statistics, cell phone abuse was deemed the most damaging to office productivity by 55% of employers.
That's hardly surprising considering that 83% of employees have mobile devices and 82% of them check them while at work.
11. Students are more productive without smartphones.
(Source: Tandfonline)
According to recent smartphone distraction statistics, students who didn’t use their mobile phones during a lecture jotted down 62% more information, took more extensive notes, retained more details, and had a grade and a half higher results on a multiple-choice test than those who did.
12. 85% of Americans own smartphones.
(Source: Pew Research Center)
Wondering how many people have a cell phone?
97% of Americans own some type of cell phone. The percentage of smartphone owners has risen to 85%—up from 35% in the Pew Research Center's first poll on the subject in 2011.
13. 40% of adults look at their smartphones within five minutes of waking up.
(Source: Ofcom)
According to recent statistics of cell phone usage, people in the UK check their cell phones every 12 minutes of a waking day.
40% of people check their phone in the first five minutes after waking up. The number rises to 65% when looking solely at those under the age of 35.
Similarly, 37% of people (60% of those under the age of 35) check their phones five minutes before going to bed.
Recent Teenage Cell Phone Addiction Statistics
Smartphones are most popular among teenagers. They spend most of their time playing games, watching movies, using social media, communicating through apps like Facebook Messenger, and browsing through the internet.
Let’s see how mobile usage affects the daily life of teenagers who are addicted to their cell phones.
14. More than half of teenagers believe they spend far too much time on their smartphones.
(Source: Pew Research Center)
Teenage cell phone addiction is a serious issue that needs to be addressed as soon as possible. 54% of teens in the US think they spend too much time on their phones. Two-thirds of parents are concerned about their children’s mobile usage.
Adolescents, 41% and 26% of them, respectively, are also concerned about the amount of time they spend on social media and playing games.
15. The average teen sends around 3,300 SMS messages every month.
(Source: Love To Know)
According to recent statistics on cell phone usage in school, the average teenager sends over 3,300 texts every month.
What’s more, 71% of students report receiving messages during class. Even in schools where mobile devices are prohibited, 58% of children use their phones.
16. 53% of children in the US own a smartphone by the age of 11.
(Source: NPR)
According to recent teen cell phone statistics, 84% of kids have their own phones. And well over half of them obtained one by the age of 11.
17. Recent cell phone addiction statistics reveal that 33% of teenagers socialize with friends online more than they do in person.
(Source: Screen Education)
69% of teens wish they could spend more time face-to-face with their close friends.
When that time comes, however, 52% of them simply sit together without talking, using their cell phones for long periods.
18. 57% of parents in the US strive to limit their teen's social media use.
(Source: Pew Research Center)
According to recent statistics that highlight teenage cell phone use in 2021, approximately two-thirds of parents are concerned that their kids spend too much time in front of the screen. 57% have imposed some sort of limitations on their children’s phone usage.
Overuse of Technology Statistics
Technology surely is a boon, but it can also become a bane if you use it too much, at an inappropriate time, or for the wrong purposes. Let’s take a quick look at some tech addiction statistics that illustrate that.
19. 75% of mobile users admitted they have texted while driving.
(Source: Trust My Paper)
Texting and driving is a major cause of accidents all around the world. In fact, mobile phone use on the road is more dangerous than alcohol abuse—it causes 26% of car accidents.
20. Adults spend around 8 hours and 41 minutes a day glued to devices.
(Source: Interesting Engineering)
According to recent tech addiction facts, adults in the UK roughly spend 8 hours 41 minutes each day on screens, which is more than they sleep. This just shows that the problem goes far beyond a few teenagers with smartphones.
21. Approximately three-tenths of people in the US claim they are almost always online.
(Source: Pew Research Center)
As smartphones and other internet-connected gadgets have become more common, 31% of US adults indicate that they are online “almost constantly.”
These statistics show that our dependence on technology is growing alarmingly quickly—this percentage is up from 21% in 2015.
22. iPhone users unlock their smartphones 80 times a day on average.
(Source: Business Insider)
Apple has revealed how addicting iPhones are: the typical iPhone user unlocks their phone 80 times a day.
Smartphone addiction statistics show that, at that rate, over the course of a 12-hour day, people check their phones six or seven times each hour, or approximately once every ten minutes.
23. Overuse of smartphones among teenagers increases 71% risk of suicide.
(Source: NPR)
Latest smartphone usage research discovered that teenagers who spend five or more hours per day on their phones are 71% more likely to have an increased risk for suicide. Using a smartphone for an hour or a half is good for both physical and mental health. When teenagers cross the two-hour mark, the risk elevates slightly.
Wrap Up
In this article, we at HostingTribunal covered the definition of cell phone addiction and showed you how it’s manifested in our everyday life.
Cell phone addiction is a far more widespread and dangerous problem than many people realize. With the increasing role of technology in our personal and work life, it's not surprising that more people are becoming addicted to their cell phones.
These smartphone addiction statistics reveal that we are all victims of this. Keep this in mind next time you reach for your phone.
Sources
- Using your cell phone more and more for the same reason.
- Repeatedly checking your phone.
- Turning to your mobile device instead of seeking help when facing unwelcome sentiments, such as worry or despair.
- Attempts to use the phone less frequently have failed repeatedly.
- You’re stressed out by social media yet can’t look away.
- You text more than you talk to people face-to-face.
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