Survey Shows Americans are Becoming Increasingly More Attached to Their Smartphones

Gone are the days when cell phones were little more than devices used to make phone calls, and play the occasional game of Tetris. The smartphone era has brought about a huge change in the cell phone market for better and for worse.

It is estimated that around 77% of Americans, own a smart phone of some kind; in other words, 77% of the American population have powerful, mini computers in their pockets. And it goes without saying that it’d be a waste to have such an expensive, and amazing piece of technology sitting in your pocket not being used. Turns out, a lot of Americans, are using their smart phones a bit too much.

Deloitte’s Global Mobile Consumer Survey has revealed that on average, Americans check their smartphones 52 times a day. This is up from 47 times a day last year. Smartphone use is highest among young people, with 63% of persons aged 18-34 admitting to being addicted to their smartphones.Factors which attribute to young people’s addiction to their smart devices vary, but living in the social media age, it is no doubt a heavy contributor. A lot of young people are obsessed with their social media accounts, and some are addicted to using them as well.

Gaming and streaming services also likely play a significant role in the obsession with smart phones. ‘Fortnite’ is the biggest gaming phenomenon to come along in a while, and it can be played with a smart phone. Streaming services seem to be pushing out standard cable television more and more each day, and most if not all streaming services are compatible with smart devices.

Surprisingly, smart phone usage this year has seen its biggest spike among older age groups, with a smartphone growth of around 10% this year. For the past several years, older people have mostly stuck with non-smartphone cell phone options. But as time goes on, the benefits of a smart phone are undeniable.

Another thing to keep in mind is the soon to be realized 5G service for mobile devices. Around 60% of all consumers have expressed great interest in 5G. Most major service providers will be rolling out 5G in these last few months of 2018, or in the first quarter of 2019. 5G is expected to be much faster than current services, and better in every way. This is great for smart phones on a whole, but for addicts, not so much.

Living in the Digital Age is a wonderful thing. There’s no denying how helpful technology is, and will continue to be to us in the future. But one thing to always keep in mind is that anything, when not used in moderation, can be unhealthy.