700 Essential Smartphone Usage Statistics: 2024 Data Review & Analysis

No other human contraption has taken a more commanding piece of human attention than the modern smartphone: in fact, people of all ages lose their minds if left without their smartphones for prolonged periods of time. They simply have to find and grab it for various reasons. As a communication tool and entertainment device, it could easily make people lose track of time as they exchange the latest gossips on social media, measure their skills against video game opponents close and afar, or watch endless videos on their streaming platform of choice. The amazing smartphone, then, deserves a closer look and examination.

We did just that and, in this article, we present the latest smartphone usage statistics in terms of consumer app spending, download preferences across major app categories, smartphone penetration rates, leading smartphone brands based on sales, and other metrics.

Key Smartphone Industry Statistics

The arrival of smartphones drastically changed the technology landscape worldwide. While the once-ubiquitous feature phones were supported by a small retinue of chipmakers and specialist app developers, smartphones created a whole new level of ecosystem about them worldwide. We look at the critical elements of this burgeoning ecosystem that’s made up of hardware brands, software developers, and a whole mix of global users.

• $4.1 trillion – mobile industry contribution to world GDP in 2019, up 4.7% from 2018. (GSMA, 2020)
• $4.9 trillion – projected mobile industry contribution to world GDP by 2024 (GSMA, 2020)
• 8 billion – number of sim connections worldwide, representing 103% of the world population as more people own more than one smartphone at a time. (GSMA, 2020)
• 16 million – jobs directly supported by the global mobile ecosystem (GSMA, 2020)
• 14 million – indirect jobs supported by the global mobile ecosystem (GSMA, 2020)
• Out of the 7.86 billion total world population, 5.27 billion (67%) are unique mobile phone subscribers. (GSMA, 2021)
• Since January 2020, the number of unique mobile phone users has grown by 1.8% (93 million). (DataReportal, 2021)
• During the same period, the total number of mobile connections has increased by 0.9% (72 million), hitting a total of 8.02 billion at the start of 2021. (DataReportal, 2021)
• Smartphones and the internet are mutually linked in most cases:  59.5% of the global population (4.66 billion) are internet users. (DataReportal, 2021)
• The figure is equivalent to an increase of 316 million users (7.3%) over the past 12 months (DataReportal, 2021)
• Smartphones, the internet, and social media are also closely connected: the global mobile social media penetration is 42%, equivalent to 4.15 billion active global mobile social media population worldwide. (Statista, 2021)
• 3.8 billion or 48.33% of the world population have smartphones (BankMyCell, 2021)
• Including global feature phone owners, there are 4.88 billion (62.07% of the world population) mobile phone users in the world. (BankMyCell, 2021)
• Among global teens, 95% have access to mobile phones (Pew Research Center, 2018)
• Another metric closely related to the number of smartphones is the number of mobile devices. According to GSMA Intelligence, 5.28 billion people have mobile devices today, equivalent to 67% of the world population. (GSMA, 2020)
• 10.97 billion – the number of mobile connections worldwide, illustrating multiple mobile connections per individual global population (BankMyCell, 2021)
• 91% of internet users access the internet via their smartphones (We Are Social & Hootsuite, 2020)
• 90% of the total mobile time is spent on apps  (Review42, 2021)
• 90% of internet users go online via their smartphones (DataReportal, 2021)
• Social networking apps are the most installed by consumers at 89.5% (Statista, 2021)
• 7.2GB – average monthly data consumed by each smartphone worldwide (We Are Social & Hootsuite, 2020)

Top smartphone brands by the fourth quarter of 2020

By the fourth quarter of 2020, the top smartphone companies based on the market share of units sold are (IDC, 2021):

• Apple – 23.4%
• Samsung – 17.0%
• Xiaomi – 11.6%
• Oppo – 9.0%
• Huawei – 8.6%
• Others – 30.3%

Smartphone penetration statistics

• By 2025, it is estimated that 72% of all internet users will solely use smartphones to access the web (BankMyCell, 2021)
• Switzerland has the lowest number of smartphone users at 6.2 million, for a 72.9% market penetration (BankMyCell, 2021)
• The United Kingdom holds the record for the highest smartphone penetration, with 82.9% of the population owning a smartphone, totaling 55.5 million (BankMyCell, 2021)
• In South Korea, a remarkable 95% of adults own a smartphone (Business of Apps, 2020)
• Nigeria has the lowest smartphone user to population ratio at 14.9%, with 30 million (BankMyCell, 2021)
• 73.47% of people in the top 10 developed countries own a smartphone (BankMyCell, 2021)
• 74.61% of people in the top 10 developing countries don’t have a smartphone (BankMyCell, 2021)
• More than 70% of YouTube watch time comes from mobile devices (YouTube, n.d.)
• As of December 2020, around 99.7% of internet users in China used smartphones to go online. (Statista, 2021)
• In 2019, US consumers spent more time on their mobile devices at 21%. Smartphones account for 70% of that mobile time. (eMarketer, 2019)

Active smartphone users globally

From Newzoo (2019) using 2019 figures, here is the distribution of the global active smartphone users by region:

• North America – 9%
• Latin America – 10%
• Western Europe – 7%
• Middle East & Africa – 13%
• China – 27%
• Japan – 2%
• South Korea – 1%
• India – 11%
• Southeast Asia – 7%
• Oceania – 1%
• Rest of Asia – 3%

From Newzoo (2020), the 10 leading countries in terms of smartphone users are:

• 851 million – China
• 346 million – India
• 260 million – United States
• 96.9 million – Brazil
• 95.4 million – Russian Federation
• 83.9 million – Indonesia
• 72.6 million – Japan
• 65.9 million – Germany
• 65.6 million – Mexico
• 55.5 million – United Kingdom

Monthly mobile data use per smartphone, by region
(Hootsuite & We Are Social, 2020)

• 7.8GB – North America
• 7.3GB – Asia Pacific
• 5.9GB – Western, Central, and Eastern Europe
• 3.6GB – Latin America
• 3.2GB – Middle East and Africa

Smartphone Public Consumer Usage Statistics

People’s interaction with media devices is measured through screen time. In general, the global population has been spending more screen time on their media devices every year. Since the onset of COVID-19 and the lockdown regulations that were enforced, screen time has markedly increased.

COVID-19 confinement is notably increasing screen time

The large spike of screen time during the COVID-19 confinement is remarkable, as noted by Eyesafe (2021):

• In the third quarter of 2018, the average screen time per day per US adult 18+ was 8:41.
• In the third quarter of 2019, the average screen time per day per US adult 18+ increased to 10:09.
• In the third quarter of 2020, the average screen time per day per US adult 18+ climbed to 13:28.
• In the same period, smartphone screen time hit 4:31 from 3:58 in 2019 and 2:31 in 2018.

Increase in smartphone screen time across generations, based on Statista figures (2020):

• 79% – Gen Z
• 72% – Millennials
• 66% – Gen X
• 49% – Baby Boomers

Because of the prominent increase in screentime on smartphones and other devices, medical professionals (United Healthcare & Eyesafe, 2020) have noted an accompanying increase in the following symptoms:

• 76% – sleep disruption
• 70% – dry eyes
• 63% – headaches
• 54% – blurred vision
• 46% – reduced productivity

Notable habits of smartphone users

• People are not only using their mobile devices more: they’re also spending 25% more in 2020 compared to 2019, at $50 billion in the first half of the year alone. (Forbes, 2020)
• Consumers look at their phones an average of 52 times a day (Deloitte, 2018)
• Just before switching off the lights for bed, 37% of adults check their smartphones; 60% of people under 35 years old do the same. (DIY Genius, 2020)
• 69% would check their smartphones 5 minutes after waking up. (BankMyCell, 2020)
• 64% of teens and 62% of parents use their mobile phones within 30 minutes of waking up. (DailyWireless, 2020)
• 60% of 18- to 34-year-olds, nearly 40% of all consumers say they use their phones too much (Deloitte, 2018)
• 63% are trying to limit their phone usage (Deloitte, 2018)
• Texting remains the top communication service, with 93% of consumers using it (Deloitte, 2018)
• Smartphone users check their phones every 12 minutes from when they wake up until they go to sleep. Young people under 21 years old do it more often, at every 8.6 minutes. (DIY Genius, 2020)
• The average mobile phone user will tap, swipe, and click their phones 2,617 times per day. (DIY Genius, 2020)
• On the other hand, the top 10% will do the same 5,427 times a day. (DIY Genius, 2020)
• 24% of consumer use their smartphones to monitor their fitness (Deloitte, 2020)
• 86% of mobile phone users will check their phones while speaking with family and friends (Turner, A., 2020)
• 23% of consumers use their phone to control music on speakers (Deloitte, 2018)

Statistics on Consumption of Smartphone Applications

Global consumers are not just passive patrons of smartphone applications but they are also active players who vote with their downloads and money to determine who stays and wins in the business of developing these applications.

• Consumers spend 88% of smartphone/mobile time on apps, far outpacing the time they spend on browsers (12%) (eMarketer, 2020)
• The average smartphone owner has 80 apps installed on the phone but uses only nine per day and 30 per month. This means more than 62% of apps installed are not used every month. (Buildfire, 2021)
• Including the Chinese app stores, there were an estimated 9.82 million apps on the planet for smartphones (China: Number of mobile apps available on app stores 2020; Number of apps available in leading app stores as of 4th quarter 2020 )
• Far from being the leading app stores worldwide, Google Play Store and Apple App Store sit only 4th and 5th on the top stores for hosting new apps worldwide, with the top three occupied by Chinese app stores. (Forbes, 2020)
• In 2020, consumers downloaded mobile applications a record 218 billion times, up from 204 billion in 2019 (TechCrunch, 2021)
• Over the same period, consumers spent $143 billion on mobile application downloads (TechCrunch, 2021)
• Consumers spent $32 billion on apps in Q1 2021, up 40% from Q1 2020—making it the biggest quarter since records began (App Annie, 2021)
• With consumer app spending on the up, marketers are upping the ante too, increasing their mobile ad spending to $290 billion by 2021, up from $240 billion in 2020 for a CAGR of 21% (App Annie, 2021)

Top Reasons People Uninstall Apps

Consumers uninstall apps for a variety of reasons. In 2020, CleverTap (2020) tracked the leading reasons as the following:

• 39.9% – not in use
• 18.7% – limited storage
• 16.2% – excessive advertising
• 12.6% – excessive notifications
•   5.4% – confusion
•   5.4% – technical issues
•   1.6% – other

The average number of hours spent on smartphone applications

As with many things, the global population’s usage of smartphones varies according to age or generation. In terms of hours spent on mobile apps, the younger generations are expected to spend more time on them. Buildfire (2021) has the numbers based on average monthly hours spent per mobile app user by age:

• 112.6 hours – 18-24
• 102.4 hours – 25-34
•   93.6 hours – 35-44
•   75.6 hours – 45-54
•   69.3 hours – 55-64
•   51.4 hours – 65+

Smartphone application categories distribution of preference

The global population can have a variety of devices with which to access the digital content that they like. Many of them, however, prefer to use smartphones to access the following application categories (Buildfire, 2021):

• 96% – instant messengers
• 96% – music
• 96% – maps
• 95% – photos
• 84% – weather
• 81% – games
• 79% – personals
• 70% – social networking
• 47% – retail
• 41% – news/information
• 34% – sports
• 19% – portals
•   5% – politics

Hours spent on smartphones and other mobile devices by category, worldwide

From App Annie (2020), the figure below indicates the share of time spent on smartphones and other mobile devices by category:

• 50% – social media and communications
• 21% – video and games
•   9% – games
• 19% – other

Share of total available smartphone/mobile applications worldwide, by store (Statista, 2021):

• 35.11% – Chinese app stores
• 32.05% – Google Play Store
• 21.36% – Apple App Store
•   6.81% – Windows Store
•   4.67% – Amazon Appstore

Growth of mobile application downloads by year

The full list showing the number of global mobile application downloads from 2016 to 2020 by TechCrunch (2021) is as follows:

• 218.00 billion – 2020
• 204.00 billion – 2019
• 192.45 billion – 2018
• 140.68 billion – 2016

Countries that lead in mobile applications download growth rate

In terms of download growth rate, which countries are leading the pack worldwide? Here, India and China lead according to Buildfire (2021):

• 180% – India
•   80% – China
•   70% – Indonesia
•   45% – Worldwide
•   40% – Brazil
•     5% – USA

App categories that global consumers downloaded most

Apple App Store

What are the top app categories that global consumers prefer to download? The following are the top Apple App Store categories that global consumers prefer to download as of March 2021, by share of available apps (Statista Research Department, 2021):

• 21.53% – games
• 10.11% – business
•   8.67% – education
•   8.62% – lifestyle
•   6.24% – utilities
•   5.72% – entertainment

Google Play Store

In the case of the Google Play Store, here are the top Android app categories that global consumers prefer to download as of the 4th quarter of 2020, by share of available apps (Statista Research Department, 2021):

• 13.56% – games
•   9.45% – education
•   6.74% – business
•   6.09% – entertainment
•   6.03% – tools
•   5.61% – music and audio
•   5.21% – lifestyle

Smartphone apps that global consumers downloaded the most

What smartphone applications are most popular among consumers? In terms of the most downloaded apps in 2020, Apptopia (2021) lists the following:

• 850 million – TikTok
• 600 million – WhatsApp
• 540 million – Facebook
• 503 million – Instagram
• 477 million – Zoom
• 404 million – Facebook Messenger
• 281 million – Snapchat
• 256 million – Telegram
• 254 million – Google Meet
• 223 million – Netflix

While TikTok leads the individual global smartphone/mobile applications preferred by consumers to download, Facebook still dominated the total downloaded apps in 2020. The reason is that Facebook also owns WhatsApp, Instagram, and Facebook Messenger:

• When those are added to the main Facebook application downloads, the total hits 2,047 million downloads, which easily dwarf the number generated by TikTok or other individual applications. (Forbes, 2021)

How much do consumers spend on smartphone/mobile applications? By the billions, it turns out. This is so even if most mobile applications are provided free:

Free and paid apps on Android and iOS, by distribution (BuildFire, 2021):

Android (Google Play Store)

• 96.2% – free
•   3.8% – paid

iOS (Apple App Store)

• 90.8% – free
•   9.2% – paid

Consumer spending on smartphone apps is driving app developers’ revenue

Mobile app developers make money from their offerings through a number of revenue models. Among these are in-app advertising, in-app purchases and freemium model, subscription (SaaS) model, sponsorship, crowdfunding, and affiliate links.

• By the end of 2020, global mobile app developers for the iOS and Android platforms made a total of $53.3 billion ($21.4 and $31.9 billion, respectively) in revenue (Business of Apps, 2021)
• China accounts for almost 40% of all app revenue, supported by having the top 3 stores for apps worldwide (Forbes, 2021)
• In 2020, TikTok takes the crown as the mobile app with the highest-grossing revenue, at $540 million (Apptopia, 2021)
• Over the same period, five of the highest-earning apps are video streaming platforms (Apptopia, 2021)

Top-grossing smartphone applications worldwide

Which particular smartphone apps earned the most money votes of consumers? Here’s the list provided by Apptopia (2021):

• $113.89 million- Lineage M
•   $70.95 million – Coin Master
•   $46.53 million – Pokemon Go
•   $43.36 million – Garena Free Fire
•   $41.95 million – Candy Crush Saga
•   $40.37 million – Roblox

Countries leading the number of downloads on Google Play Store and Apple App Store

Which countries lead in the consumption of smartphone applications? Using the data from Sensor Tower (2020) for the third quarter of 2020, we can see India and the US top the list for Android and iOS downloads, respectively:

Countries leading the downloads from Google Play Store:

• 7.8 billion – India
• 3.5 billion – USA
• 2.9 billion – Brazil
• 1.9 billion – Indonesia
• 1.5 billion – Russia
• 1.3 billion – Mexico
• 0.9 billion – Turkey
• 0.85 billion – Vietnam
• 0.75 billion – Philippines
• 0.7 billion – Japan

Countries leading the downloads from Apple App Store:

• 2.1 billion – USA
• 0.5 billion – Japan
• 0.2 billion – Brazil
• 0.2 billion – Russia
• 0.2 billion – Vietnam
• 0.12 billion – India
• 0.1 billion – Mexico
• 0.1 billion – Turkey
• 0.08 billion – Indonesia
• 0.08 billion – Philippines

Smartphone Usage in Social Media Statistics

The social media industry is a multibillion business serving more than half of the total population worldwide. Along with smartphone video gaming, engaging in social media with friends, family, and businesses is a defining characteristic of the age. Industry experts publish social media trends yearly in order to help them make the most of this huge revenue generator. In our case, we look at the relevant numbers from every key angle to get a grip on this industry and its global army of consumers.

• 50% of time spent on smartphones and other mobile devices is on social media and communications (App Annie, 2020)
• As of 2020, the social media industry market size stood at $94.83 billion. It is estimated to reach $102.62 billion in 2021 at a CAGR of 8.2% (Research Company, 2020)
• The market is further expected to reach $308.96 billion in 2025 at a CAGR of 32% (Research Company, 2020)
• There are 4.20 billion active global social media users. The number represents 53.6% of the global 7.83 billion population. (DataReportal, 2021)
• In 2020, the number of social media users grew by 490 million from 2019, equivalent to a 13.2% increase. (DataReportal, 2021)
• 4.15 billion or 98.8% of the total social media users worldwide access their accounts via their smartphones (DataReportal, 2021)
• The global mobile social media penetration rate stands at 42% (Statista, 2021)

Global mobile social network penetration rate, by region

For the global mobile social network penetration rate, Statista (2021) tracked the latest record available, January 2019. The distribution is as follows:

• 70% – Eastern Asia
• 61% – Northern America
• 61% – South America
• 59% – Northern Europe
• 59% – Central America
• 56% – Southeast Asia
• 51% – Oceania
• 50% – Southern Europe
• 46% – Western Asia
• 45% – Western Europe
• 44% – Caribbean
• 42% – Global average
• 40% – Eastern Europe
• 37% – Northern Africa
• 36% – Southern Africa
• 22% – Southern Asia
• 12% – Western Africa
•   8% – Central Asia
•   7% – Eastern Africa
•   6% – Middle Africa

How consumers, smartphones, and social media go together

• As of October 2020, around 80% of Facebook users accessed the social network through their smartphones. (DataReportal, 2021)
• When asked which smartphone/mobile apps they can’t live without, Americans name the following apps (Statista Infographics, 2020):
  • 17% – Facebook
  • 13% – Instagram
  •   9% – Gmail
  •   8% – YouTube
  •   7% – Twitter
  •   6% – Chrome
  •   6% – Google Maps
  •   5% – WhatsApp
  •   5% – Amazon
  •   5% – Messenger

Social apps that global consumers are downloading the most

Which social apps are global consumers downloading the most? According to Business of Apps (2021), TikTok has been grabbing the headlines recently and there is no sign of the trend wavering soon. The full list:

• 850 million – TikTok
• 540 million – Facebook
• 503 million – Instagram
• 281 million – Snapchat
• 179 million – Pinterest
• 119 million – Twitter
•   89 million – BIGO Live
•   65 million – MX Taka Tak
•   58 million – Josh Videos
•   55 million – Moj

Smartphone Usage in Video Games Statistics

The new generations are growing up on computers and smartphones. The ones before them are not too shabby, too, pioneering in the use of the new technologies and, most often, loving and immersing in them too.

• A survey of 12 countries revealed that on average, 71% of gamers use a smartphone, 64% a computer, and 26% a console. (ESA, 2021)
• Among gaming adults worldwide, 61% prefer to use their smartphones to play video games (ESA, 2021)
• By the end of 2020, there were an estimated 2.5 billion smartphone gamers worldwide. (Newzoo, 2020)
• In the US, 53% of video gamers regularly use their smartphones to play their video games. (Statista, 2020)
• In 2020, there were an estimated 213 million smartphone video gamers in the US, up from 209.5 million in 2019. (Statista, 2016)
• ESA (2021), on the other hand, puts the number at 21.4.4 million US smartphone video game players (ESA, 2021)
• In terms of gender, 59% of smartphone video game players are male and 41% female. (ESA, 2021)
• 64% of all US adults regularly play video games on their smartphones (ESA, 2021)
• Meanwhile, 70% of the US population under 18 years old regularly play video games on their smartphones (ESA, 2021)
• Around 75% of all US households have at least one person who plays video games. (ESA, 2021)
• In the US, there are approximately 46 million video game players with disabilities (ESA, 2021)
• The average age range of smartphone video game players is 18 to 34 years old (ESA, 2021)
• On average, video gamers spend 6 hours and 20 minutes each week playing video games. (Limelight Networks 2020)
• “Problem gamers” play video games between 80 to 100 hours per week. (HealthyPlace, 2021)

Smartphone video game players play to connect with others

For many people and families, playing video games lets them connect with others. ESA (2021) noted that:

• 65% of players play with others online or in-person
• 55% of parents play with their children
• 92% of parents pay attention to the games their children play

Top picks to play with

Of the 65% who regularly play with others, their top picks to play with are the following (ESA, 2021)

• 42% – friends
• 27% – spouse/partner
• 24% – other family members
• 17% – team/guild/clanmates/online-only friends
•   7% – parents

Age breakdown of smartphone video gamers

Unsurprisingly, most smartphone video gamers are young, from the 18-34 age group. The smartphone usage statistics by age among video gamers show the following (ESA, 2021):

• 21% – under 18
• 38% – 18-34
• 26% – 35-54
•   9% – 55-64
•   6% – 65+

Years playing distribution among smartphone video game players

Smartphone video game players do not have badges showing off how many years they have been playing video games. It is a useful metric, giving us a good overall picture of the typical smartphone video game player. On this topic, ESA (2021) shows the distribution of years spent playing video games among players in ascending order:

• 21% – 1-5 years
• 25% – 15-24 years
• 25% – 25+ years
• 29% – 6-14 years

Favorite video game genres

Smartphone video gamers worldwide have the luxury of having a wealth of game genres to indulge in and whet their gaming appetites. Research by ESA (2021) returned with the most preferred game genres as:

• 71% – casual games
• 53% – action games
• 48% – shooter games

This distribution can be further divided along the gender line. Here are the statistics (ESA, 2021) for the age group of players:

Men 18-34 years old

• 80% – shooter games
• 68% – adventure games
• 65% – role-playing games
• 70% – say games help them stay connected with friends and family

Women 18-34 years old

• 59% – family games
• 52% – action games
• 50% – racing games
• 55% – say games help them stay connected with friends and family

Men 35-54 years old

• 67% – casual games
• 61% – shooter games
• 54% – adventure games
• 83% – say games help them relax

Women 35-54 years old

• 40% – arcade games
• 37% – family games
• 30% – action games
• 77% – say games help them relax

Men 55-64 years old

• 32% – shooters
• 31% – role-playing and arcade games
• 25% – racing games
• 87% – say games provide mental stimulation

Women 55-64 years old

• 25% – family and arcade games
• 16% – action games
• 14% – adventure games
• 82% – say games provide mental stimulation

Men 65+ years old

• 86% – casual games
• 41% – arcade games
• 26% – action, adventure, and racing games
• 46% – have been playing video games for 10 years or less

Women 65+ years old

• 95% – casual games
• 24% – arcade games
• 13% – family games
• 63% have been playing video games for 10 years or less

When do smartphone video game players find the time to play?

When do smartphone video gamers find the time to play? Our smartphone usage statistics 2021 show that at work, during appointments, and even during commute times, consumers find the time to grab their smartphones and play away. ESA’s research tracked the distribution as follows:

• 51% – after work or school
• 30% – while waiting for appointments
• 26% – during breaks at work or school
• 16% – during a commute (bus, train, carpool)

Limiting access: distribution of content rating appropriate to ages by rating institutions

Long-running concerns about the appropriateness of video game content for young players have resulted in the establishment of various institutions publishing guidelines for the consumption of the public. In tandem with parental control apps, the rating bodies allow parents to protect their children from harmful online content. The list below, provided by 42matters (2021), indicates the rating distribution of content found in both Google Play Store and Apple App Store based on the issuing rating institution.

PEGI app content rating distribution for Google Play (n=2,592,784 apps)

• 89% – 3+
•   1% – 7+
•   4% – 12+
•   1% – 16+
•   4% – PG
•   0% – Unrated

USK app content rating distribution for Google Play (n=2,439,751)

• 89% – All Ages
•   2% – 6+
•   7% – 12+
•   7% – 16+
•   1% – 18+
•   0% – Unrated

ESRB app content rating distribution for Google Play (n=2571,808)

• 88% – All Ages
•   1% – 10+
•   8% – Teens
•   2% – Mature
•   0% – Adults Only
•   0% – Unrated

ACB app content rating distribution for Google Play (n=2,087,192)

• 12% – General
• 77% – 3+
•   0% – 7+
•   7% – 12+
•   1% – 16+
•   1% – 18+
•   1% – PG
•   0% – Restricted 15+
•   0% – Restricted 18+
•   1% – Mature
•   0% – Unrated

ClassInd app content rating distribution for Google Play (n=2,493,165)

• 90% – All Ages
•   2% – 10+
•   6% – 12+
•   3% – 14+
•   0% – 16+
•   0% – 18+
•   0% – Unrated

IARC app content rating distribution of Google Play (n=2,593,186)

• 89% – 3+
•   1% – 7+
•   8% – 12+
•   1% – 16+
•   1% – 18+
•   0% – Unrated

GRAC app content rating distribution for Google Play (n=2,214,773)

•   8% – All Ages
• 82% – 3+
•   0% – 7+
•   7% – 12+

Apple App Store content rating distribution

Unlike Google, Apple deploys its own content rating system. Developers cannot sell on the App Store until their apps have received the rating as determined by Apple. Here is the Apple Store content rating distribution using the apps sampled, n=1,203,686 (42matters, 2021):

Games 

• 17.18% – 4+
•   2.20% – 9+
•   2.05% – 12+
•   1.32% – 17+

Apps

•   100% – 4+
•   1.97% – 9+
•   9.24% – 12+
•  14.33% – 17+

Parental awareness of smartphone application rating systems

How are parents doing in monitoring the smartphone video games that their children play? Data from ESA (2021) reveals that:

• 87% are aware of ESRB ratings
• 92% pay attention to the games their child plays
• 87% are confident that the ratings are accurate
• 87% find parental controls useful
• 48% limit the amount of time spent on playing video games

How active are parents in overseeing or participating in their child’s smartphone playing?

ESA’s research (ESA, 2021) reveals that the majority of parents play an active role in the game activities of their children who are video game players:

• 95% – are present when the child obtains video games
• 86% – require permission for new game purchases
• 73% – believe video games are educational
• 66% – play games, seeing it as an opportunity to socialize with their children
• 55% – play games with their children at least weekly

Smartphone games that global players downloaded most

Moving on to the games that smartphone video game players pick to play, what are the top titles that gamers played on their smartphones in 2020? Apptopia (2021) lists the following most downloaded game titles in 2020, worldwide:

• 264 million – Among Us!
• 227 million – Subway Surfers
• 218 million – Garena Free Fire
• 175 million – PUBG
• 171 million – Gardenscape
• 158 million – Roblox
• 155 million – Hunter Assassin
• 151 million – Tiles Hop
• 149 million – Brain Test

Smartphone games that US players downloaded most

In the case of US consumers, the choice titles for smartphone gamers in 2020 are the following (Apptopia, 2021):

• 41 million – Among Us!
• 40 million – Roblox
• 31 million – Subway Surfers
• 29 million – Call of Duty
• 25 million – Coin Master
• 24 million – Join Clash
• 22 million – Brain Test
• 20.7 million – Tangle Master 3D
• 20.6 million – Woodturning 3D
• 20.5 million – Tiles Hop

The story is somewhat different when we examine the amount that smartphone gamers spend on video game apps, both worldwide and in the United States. Globally, the video game titles that won the most money vote from smartphone gamers are the following (Apptopia, 2021):

•    $1.1 billion – PUBG
• $947 million – Arena of Valor
• $757 million – Pokemon Go
• $687 million – Monster Strike
• $553 million – Gardenscapes
• $526 million – Coin Master
• $519 million – Fate Grand Order
• $487 million – Roblox
• $446 million – Homescapes
• $468 million  – Westward Journey

The list looks somewhat different among US smartphone game spenders as Roblox moves ahead of the pack (Apptopia, 2021):

• $314 million – Roblox
• $251 million – Candy Crush Saga
• $216 million – Pokemon Go
• $189 million – Coin Master
• $170 million – Homescapes
• $167 million  – Gardenscapes
• $152 million – Clash of Clans
• $149 million – Slotomania
• $112 million – PUBG Mobile
• $126 million – Toon Blast

The positives of smartphone video gaming and other interesting statistics

Bill Gates famously fell for Melinda Gates over a game of Clue. While many might have raised eyebrows over the revelation, many gamers (and those into social media) very well know that such occurrence is widespread. The trouble was that there just were no numbers to back it up for the longest time. This changed with the new research by ESA (2021), which included this aspect of gaming in its study. We highlight this finding in this section of our smartphone usage statistics worldwide. Here are what it says about the intriguing topic:

• 30% of players have met a good friend, spouse, or significant other through video games
• 40% – have met, through video games, people who they would not have met otherwise

The other positives that smartphone video game players take from playing video games are the following (ESA, 2021):

• 80% provide mental stimulation
• 79% provide relaxation and stress relief
• 63% help with problem-solving
• 57% bring joy through play
• 55% help connect with friends
• 50% help the family spend time together

Smartphone Usage in eCommerce Statistics

Improved security and increasing trust in smartphone online payment gateways have pushed mobile commerce to more widespread mainstream use.

Mobile commerce highlights

• Worldwide, mobile commerce is projected to reach $3.56 trillion in sales in 2021 (Statista, 2018)
• This figure is equivalent to a 72.9% share of total retail sales worldwide (Statista, 2018)
• In the US, smartphone retail mobile commerce is forecast to reach $432.24 billion in 2022 (eMarketer, 2019)
• 79% of smartphone users have made a purchase online using their smartphones in the last six months (OuterBox, 2021)
• 71% of in-store shoppers who use their smartphones for online research say their smartphones have become more important to their in-store experience (Simicart Blog, 2021)
• 53% of those who shop online every day rely on their smartphones to do so (Episerver, 2020)
• Nearly 48% of daily shoppers across generations have significantly increased their reliance on smartphones for shopping in the last year (Episerver, 2020)
• 48% of buyers use their smartphones to start searching about the product or service they are interested in. (SimiCart, 2021)
• In 2019, more than half of US smartphone users made at least one online purchase from their smartphone. (eMarketer, 2019)
• Over the same year, each individual smartphone shopper spent $1,763 on average (eMarketer, 2019)
• 25% of consumers use their smartphones to research a specific product or service multiple times per week (Episerver, 2020)
• In 2020, 18% of consumers used their smartphones to complete a purchase multiple times per week, up from 16% in 2019 (Episerver, 2020)
• Almost 40% of all ecommerce purchases during the 2018 holiday season were made on a smartphone (OuterBox, 2021)

As the figures below from Statista (2018) show, mobile commerce sales worldwide have been steadily increasing from 2016 to 2021:

• $3.56 trillion – 2021
• $2.91 trillion – 2020
• $2.32 trillion – 2019
• $1.80 trillion – 2018
• $1.36 trillion – 2017
• $0.97 trillion – 2016

As a share of total ecommerce sales worldwide, those figures translate to the following percentage share over the same period (Statista, 2018):

• 72.9% – 2021
• 70.4% – 2020
• 67.2% – 2019
• 63.5% – 2018
• 58.9% – 2017
• 52.4% – 2016

Meanwhile, consumers are increasingly relying on their smartphones to purchase from online retailers. Their aggregate spending has translated to the following yearly growth in smartphone retail commerce sales from 2018 to 2022 (eMarketer, 2019):

• $432.24 billion – 2022 (estimated)
• $345.45 billion – 2021 (estimated)
• $268.21 billion – 2020
• $203.95 billion – 2019
• $148.08 billion – 2018

Share of smartphone-first shoppers by generation

People across generations indicate varying degrees of propensity to turn to their smartphones when buying online. The numbers, according to Episerver (2020) are:

• 58% – Millennials
• 49% – Gen Z
• 48% – Gen X
• 18% – Baby Boomers

Mobile payments adoption by country

Expectedly, the biggest economies lead the global adoption of mobile payments. Chinese consumers are especially eager to use the technology. In cities, notably, adoption rates hit the 90s (Business of Apps, 2021).

• 81.1% – China
• 37.6% – India
• 29.0% – United States
• 25.3% – Japan
• 21.1% – Italy
• 19.1% – United Kingdom
• 17.2% – Russia
• 15.6% – France
• 12.5% – Germany

Mobile commerce-related activities that US smartphone owners have done in the past month

Data from eMarketer (2019) lays the groundwork for the numbers below, categorized by gender and age.

Male

• 59% – used a smartphone retail app to look for more information about a product or service
• 48% – used a smartphone retail app to buy a product or service
• 27% – used a smartphone wallet app to pay in-store
• 21% – used a grocery app
• 19% – used a shared economy service app
•   4% – used a meal kit subscription service app
• 23% – none of the above

Female

• 58% – used a smartphone retail app to look for more information about a product or service
• 54% – used a smartphone retail app to buy a product or service
• 28% – used a smartphone wallet app to pay in-store
• 26% – used a grocery app
• 22% – used a shared economy service app
•   8% – used a meal kit subscription service app
• 18% – none of the above

18-34 years old

• 59% – used a smartphone retail app to look for more information about a product or service
• 61% – used a smartphone retail app to buy a product or service
• 39% – used a smartphone wallet app to pay in-store
• 28% – used a grocery app
• 31% – used a shared economy service app
•   7% – used a meal kit subscription service app
• 15% – none of the above

35-54 years old

• 58% – used a smartphone retail app to look for more information about a product or service
• 51% – used a smartphone retail app to buy a product or service
• 29% – used a smartphone wallet app to pay in-store
• 26% – used a grocery app
• 20% – used a shared economy service app
•   8% – used a meal kit subscription service app
• 17% – none of the above

55+ years old

• 52% – used a smartphone retail app to look for more information about a product or service
• 40% – used a smartphone retail app to buy a product or service
• 14% – used a smartphone wallet app to pay in-store
• 16% – used a grocery app
• 10% – used a shared economy service app
•   2% – used a meal kit subscription service app
• 31% – none of the above

Total

• 57% – used a smartphone retail app to look for more information about a product or service
• 51% – used a smartphone retail app to buy a product or service
• 28% – used a smartphone wallet app to pay in-store
• 24% – used a grocery app
• 21% – used a shared economy service app
•   6% – used a meal kit subscription service app
• 20% – none of the above

Mobile payments highlights

• 31% of consumers use their smartphones for mobile payments (Deloitte, 2018)
• By 2023, an estimated 1.31 billion people worldwide will use a mobile payment app within the last six-month period, up from 1 billion in 2020 (Merchant Savvy, 2020)
• Mobile POS payments are expected to add 37% ($2.5 trillion) to the digital payments value in 2021 (Finaria, 2021)
• In 2019, an estimated 26.6% of smartphone users made an in-store proximity mobile payment, a smartphone technology that is also popular in China, India, South Korea, Sweden, and Denmark (Merchant Savvy, 2020)
• $3.08 trillion – the projected global mobile payment market size by 2024 (Merchant Savvy, 2020)

The surge in smartphone usage by consumers for mobile commerce is not lost to marketers. Nothing beats insight gained straight from your target audience, and the data on smartphone app usage by consumers serves just this purpose. Regarding this:

• 82% of US senior digital marketers considered their first-party mobile app analytics data to be “very important” to their marketing and advertising decisions (Advertiser Perceptions & MightyHive, 2019)

Shopping apps that smartphone users download the most

Smartphone shopping apps and mobile commerce go hand-in-hand. By January 2021, the following apps are what smartphone shoppers downloaded the most, according to Statista:

Google Play store (Statista Research Department, 2021)

• 8.33 million – SHEIN – Fashion Shopping Online
• 7.31 million – Wish – Shopping Made Fun
• 5.64 million – Amazon Shopping – Search Find, Ship, and Save
• 5.31 million – Flipkart Online Shopping App
• 3.61 million – AliExpress
• 3.56 million – Lazada
• 3.40 million – Mercado Libre
• 3.17 million – Shopee
• 3.13 million – Amazon Shopping, UPI, Money Transfer, Bill Payment
• 2.17 million – AJIO Online Shopping – Handpicked Curated Fashion

Apple App Store (Statista Research Department, 2021)

• 7.51 million – Pinduoduo
• 2.70 million – Taobao
• 2.53 million – Amazon – Shopping made easy
• 2.40 million – Taobao Lite (Special Edition)
• 2.30 million – Shop, package, & order tracker
• 2.17 million – SHEIN – Fashion Shopping Online
• 1.55 million – Jingdong Shopping
• 1.18 million – Wish
• 1.10 million – Nike
• 1.06 million – AliExpress Shopping App

Smartphone Usage in Banking and Finance Statistics

Mobile banking heralds the arrival of full digitalization in the banking and finance sector. Eschewing the daunting paperwork that traditional banking is known for—from registration, deposit or withdrawal transactions, money transfers, and payment of bills—it offers the ultimate in flexibility and convenience to consumers without having to leave their homes and fight the long lines awaiting them at the nearest branch of their bank.

Highlights

• Worldwide, consumers accessed finance apps over 1 trillion times in 2019, up 100% from 2017 (App Annie, 2020)
• 4.6 billion – new finance app downloads in 2020, up 15% YoY from 2019. Demand was fueled by investing, banking, cash transfers, and government aid. (Liftoff & App Annie, 2021)
• 16.53 billion more hours spent on finance apps in 2020, up 45% YoY from 2019 outside of China (Liftoff & App Annie, 2021)
• Latin America saw the most notable surge in demand for finance apps in 2020, up 90% in Argentina and 75% in Brazil (Liftoff & App Annie, 2021)
• Worldwide, the average MAU of the top 10 fintech apps grew 20% year over year in 2019, while banking MAU grew 15% (App Annie, 2020)
• Globally, 94% of mobile banking customers use online banking platforms at least once a month (Fortunly, 2021)
• Consumers have shown a remarkable preference for fintech apps, with their cumulative fintech app sessions outperforming those of the best banking apps by a factor of up to 10.8x. (Liftoff & App Annie, 2021)
• The US financial industry’s total branch count went down by more than 1,500 over a period of 12 months as of February 2020, presenting more opportunity for neobanks and mobile banking (Fortunly, 2021)
• 74% of bank customers look for consistent online and mobile banking services when choosing a bank (Fortunly, 2021)
• Bank account holders use their smartphones 56% of the time compared to desktops at 29% of the time for balance inquiries (Fortunly, 2021)
• Globally, 73% of bank customers use online banking channels at least once a month, with 59% of them frequently using mobile banking apps (Fortunly, 2021)
• Digital banks served by both online and mobile apps offer up to 2% more in APY than traditional branch banks (Fortunly, 2021)
• 89% of American bank account holders use mobile banking apps for account management (Fortunly, 2021)
• For 70% of American bank account holders, mobile banking is the primary way of managing accounts (Fortunly, 2021)
• In the US, only 20% of consumers would rather pay a visit to a physical bank location that do their business via digital channels (Fortunly, 2021)
• 66% of bank customers are satisfied with their bank or credit union’s digital services (Fortunly, 2021)
• 82% of bank account holders cite their banks’ digital platforms as an important reason they haven’t switched financial institutions (Fortunly, 2021)
• 74% of the UK population use smartphones and mobile banking apps to manage their finances (DataProt, 2021)
• 24% of bank account holders prefer completing international transfer tasks via smartphone (Fortunly, 2021)
• 26% of bank customers update their account details using their smartphones (Fortunly, 2021)
• 41% of bank account holders use mobile apps to pay bills
• The total number of mobile banking users will exceed 3.6 billion by 2024 (Fortunly, 2021)
• 85 million – projected number of neobank users in Europe alone by 2023 (Fortunly, 2021)
• The banking industry will save an estimated $7.3 billion in annual customer service costs by deploying chatbots on their digital/mobile banking platforms.

Finance app costs by platform, 2020 (Liftoff & App Annie, 2021)

In summary, the 2020 cost of install ($2.45) and registration ($7.96) rose a third from 2019. Meanwhile, activations ($9.78) dropped 5% from 2019. Android platforms cost considerably less than their iOS counterparts, from installation to activation. As a result, Android users are shown to be 2x more likely to convert than iOS users.

Android

• $1.48 – install
• $4.43 – CPA registration
• $5.30 – CPA activation

iOs

•   $6.64 – install
• $30.37 – CPA registration
• $41.52 – CPA activation

Finance app conversion by platform, 2020 (Liftoff & App Annie, 2021)

Fintech app conversion rates (25%) increased a third from 2019. As more consumers see the benefits of fintech apps, more of them chose to activate the apps readily.

Android

• 33.4% – ITA registration
• 27.9% – ITA activation

iOS

• 21.9% – ITA registration
• 16.0% – ITA activation

Effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on mobile banking

• 63% of Americans were more inclined to try digital apps for banking than they were before the pandemic (Fortunly, 2021)
• Driven by the initial pandemic shock, finance app user engagement peaked in March 2020, with 52% registering an account. (Liftoff & App Annie, 2021)
• 82% were concerned about having to visit their local banks (Fortunly, 2021)

Banking app revenue 2015-2020

Mobile banking provides the convenience of traditional banking sans the hassles of physical presence, travel, and cumbersome paperwork, and waiting lines. Their emergence around the mid-2010s was welcomed by people who were ready for their offerings (Business of Apps, 2021)

• $3.6 billion – 2020
• $3.0 billion – 2019
• $2.2 billion – 2018
• $1.3 billion – 2017
• $0.9 billion – 2016
• $0.6 billion – 2015

Leading neobank apps by revenue

More features and options in banking services have won over more customers. Millions are switching to the neobanks, with the following brands heading the list by revenue (Business of Apps, 2021)

• $500 million – SoFi
• $215 million – Revolut
• $200 million – Chime
• $100 million – NuBank
• $100 million – N26
•   $90 million – Monzo
•   $40 million – Starling Bank
•   $30 million – MoneyLion

While SoFi appears to have a substantial lead in revenue accounting, not many investors are thrilled to see student loans and repayments making up the bulk of its revenue portfolio. Using the more dependable average deposit vs revenue metric, the following banks come out on top (Business of Apps, 2021)

Leading neobank apps by revenue (billion) vs average customer deposit (monthly)

• 200 vs 2,000 – Chime
• 40 vs 1,500 – Starling Bank
• 100 vs 570 – N26
• 90 vs 480 – Monzo
• 210 vs 410 – Revolut
• 100 vs 210 – NuBank

Leading neobank apps by valuation

By virtue of having the largest potential markets, Chime and NuBank take the lead in this list. Monzo and Nu26, however, are hot on their trails (Business of Apps, 2021)

• $14.5 billion – Chime
• $10.0 billion – NuBank
•   $5.5 billion – Revolut
•   $4.8 billion – SoFi
•   $3.5 billion – N26
•   $1.6 billion – Monzo
•   $0.9 billion – MoneyLion
•   $0.8 billion – Starling Bank

Leading neobank apps by number of users

Operating in South America gives NuBank the advantage in this list. In a continent where traditional banks are feared for high interest rates and sneaky hidden fees on every transaction, NuBank is simply a breath of fresh air, if not a total savior. Revolut, meanwhile, is actively propping up investments and has recently added a cryptocurrency exchange module to the platform. attracting a new segment of clients to its app (Business of Apps, 2021).

• 25 million – NuBank
• 12 million – Revolut
•   8 million – Chime
• 7.5 million – SoFi
•   5 million – N26
•   5 million – MoneyLion
•   4 million – Monzo
• 1.7 million – Starling Bank

Mobile money in 2020

The State of the Industry Report on Mobile Money 2021 by GSM provides a deep look into the state of the mobile money ecosystem worldwide. Here is a snapshot of the report (GSMA, 2020):

• 1.2 billion – registered mobile money accounts, up 13% from 2019
• $2 billion – processed daily by the mobile money industry
• 300 million – monthly active accounts, up 17% from 2019
• 5.2 million – unique agent outlets globally
• $1 billion – international remittances processed per month, up 65% from 2019
• 310 mobile money deployments live in 96 countries
• $500 million – digitized per day by agents globally
• 41 billion – transaction volume, up 15% from 2019
• $767 billion – transaction value, up 22% from 2019
• 9.1 million – registered agents, up 14% from 2019
• 4.8 million – active agents, up 18% from 2019

The world’s biggest mobile payment platforms by number of active users

Vast population and the wide availability of technology propelled China to the top of the leaderboard in terms of the number of people using mobile platforms (Merchant Savvy, 2020)

• 1.2 billion – Alipay (Q3 2019)
• 1.151 billion – WeChat
• 441 million – Apple Pay
• 305 million – PayPal
• 51 million – Samsung Pay
• 50 million – Amazon Pay
• 39 million – Google Pay

Smartphone Usage in Photography Statistics

Nobody ever expected feature phones equipped with cameras to ever challenge dedicated cameras in image quality. The release of the first smartphones—first with the iPhone in 2007 and then the first Android phone, the T-Mobile G1, more popularly known as the HTC Dream, in September 2008—changed all that. As revolutionary sensors and image-enhancing algorithms keep improving regularly, smartphones have pushed traditional camera manufacturers to a corner. How bad is it?  From Felix Richter of Statista and 3D Insider come the following numbers:

• Worldwide camera shipments by camera powerhouse names like Nikon, Canon, and Olympus dropped by 87% between 2010 and 2019, wiping out 40 years of growth (Richter, F., 2020)Worldwide digital camera shipments by CIPA members from 2010 to 2019 are as follows:
  • 121.5 million – 2010
  • 115.5 million – 2011
  •  98.1 million – 2012
  •  62.8 million – 2013
  •  43.4 million – 2014
  •  35.4 million – 2015
  •  24.2 million – 2016
  •  25.0 million – 2017
  •  19.4 million – 2018
  • 15.2 million – 2019
• From 2017 to 2018 alone, camera sales figures dropped by around 24% (3D Insider, 2020)
• The sales of fixed-lens digital cameras have dropped by 22% from 2018 to 2019—indeed, the market for point-and-shoot fixed lens cameras has become virtually nonexistent because of consumer preference for smartphone photography (3D Insider, 2020)
• The market value of mirrorless cameras has become the most valuable in the camera industry, surpassing that of DSLR cameras. More DSLR camera units are purchased, but mirrorless cameras cost almost twice: $980 vs. $532 on average (3D Insider, 2020)
• Sales of digital cameras were estimated to drop by 23% from 2019 (3D Insider, 2020)
• Sales of fixed lens digital cameras are expected to be worse, dropping by 29% (3D Insider, 2020)
• In 2020, the market size of the US photography industry was worth an estimated $11.2 billion. This may seem much, but it does not reveal the fact that the industry has been growing at a paltry 1.1% since 2015—all due to smartphone sales eating away much of  camera purchases (3D Insider, 2020)
• On the other hand, the global value of the industry is estimated to have suffered a 2.1% decline, from $36.9 billion in 2019 to $36.1 billion in 2020. (3D Insider, 2020)

To stave off the plunging sales of dedicated cameras due to increasing consumer preference for smartphones, camera makers introduced the novel mirrorless cameras. The results, however, barely delivered the desired outcome:

• Mirrorless cameras only spurred a 2% growth in the dedicated camera industry (3D Insider, 2020)

The rise of smartphone photography

Consider the following statistics as validating the emergence and rise of smartphones as a legitimate contender for photography:

• 1.2 trillion – the number of digital photos taken in 2017 (Moblivious, 2019)
  • 85.0% taken using smartphones
  • 10.3% used digital cameras
  •   4.7% used tablets
• 86% of Americans consider the quality of the camera whenever they buy a new smartphone (3D Insider, 2020)

There is no shortage of smartphone brands with impressive, revolutionary camera technology—and they’re constantly evolving and improving by leaps and bounds. As they apply bigger lenses or simply use another groundbreaking photo technology, they’re also taking advantage of the relentless developments in AI and machine learning technologies to improve image output quality. Another development, mobile filmmaking, is taking shape.

• Currently, there have been released 11 films that used smartphones to shoot them (Welk, 2019).

A report from Suite4Analytics sheds some light on why this has happened to the standalone, professional camera industry. Normally, we assume that professional photographers would grab their wide-lens cameras to shoot their photos. The survey of 881 professional photographers, however, says that this is not the case: many professionals now use smartphones instead, and increasingly for their professional photos. Digital Photography Review (2020) breaks it down thus:

• 11% – used a smartphone camera for 50% of their pro images
• 88% – used a dedicated professional camera
• 31% – are using their smartphones more than they did 12 months ago

The increasing use of smartphones in photography is more pronounced in taking non-professional photos. The same survey of 881 professional photographers reveal their preferred device in taking this type of photos:

• 29% – take 50% of their non-work photos with a smartphone
• 36% – take more than half of their personal pictures using their smartphones

In a revealing survey, still from Digital Photography Review (2020), professional photographers say that they use their smartphones in situations where their clients are not present.

Type of professional or business photography done with smartphone (n=317)

• 58% – photography to support my own business
• 20% – BTS (behind the scenes) supplemental photography
• 14% – direct to consumer photography
• 14% – others
•   9% – third-party photography
•   7% – photo licensing

When it comes to their preferred device, the type of camera most often used (by a sample of 755 people) for taking non-professional photos are (Digital Photography Review, 2020):

• 86% – iPhone
• 14% – Android

Up next are the statistics on more general smartphone usage in photography statistics.

• 90% of people who have ever taken a photo have done it only with a smartphone, not a standalone digital camera. (Eksposure, 2020)
• In a survey of 400 people, 223 say that they take anywhere between 1-4 selfies per day.
• In 2016 alone, Google noted that 24 billion selfies out of 13.7 petabytes worth of pictures were uploaded to its Photos app (Mail Online, 2016)
• The camera technologies used by Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra—4 cameras with large optical sensors and impressive aperture—combine for the latest round of assault on DSLR camera output quality. (Samsung Global Newsroom, 2021)
• Americans posted 1.3 million photos of Hurricane Sandy on Instagram (Eksposure, 2020)
• 48% of Americans use photo editing apps for their photos (Eksposure, 2020)
• A study by Yahoo Research (2015) reveals that mobile photos with filters are 21% more likely to be viewed  (Yahoo Research, 2015)

In the US, consumers buy smartphones based on the following priorities (Eksposure, 2020):

• 95% – battery power
• 93% – ease of use
• 90% – memory storage
• 98% – durability
• 86% – camera quality

Eksposure (2020) also reveals the following least important features for American smartphone buyers:

• 30% – AR/VR tools
• 32% – parental controls
• 33% – facial recognition capabilities
• 37% – digital wellness tools
• 39% – fitness tracking tools

Europeans and their love affair with smartphones

• The average European posts 597 selfies every year or 1.6 selfies a day (HONOR, 2019)
• 85% of Europeans say they are taking more pictures of themselves than in the past. (HONOR, 2019)
• Around 45% of the photos Europeans take on their smartphones are shared with friends and family on social media. (HONOR, 2019)
• Europeans take around 11 seconds to deliberate if a selfie makes the cut and a further 26 minutes deliberating before sharing on social media. (HONOR, 2019)
• 63% of the European population aged 16 to 29 prefer to take more natural, unfiltered selfies (HONOR, 2019)
• Leading the authentic photo trend is Spain, with 73% of its people joining the movement and posting more unfiltered images. (HONOR, 2019)
• Italy (71%) and France (68%) closely trail Spain in popularizing the no-filter trend. (HONOR, 2019)

Projections for Smartphone Usage Statistics

The wider adoption of 5G, new smartphone hardware design, and increased penetration into underserved sectors will play a crucial part in determining the direction that smartphone usage will take shape among users worldwide. Streaming and gaming apps will take their fair share of a global audience still reeling from the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.

• Globally, 4 in 5 connections will be by smartphones by 2025 (GSMA, 2020)
• Smartphones and other mobile devices will drive the acceleration of at-home activities by 43% in the new normal after the COVID-19 pandemic. (App Annie, 2020)
• Financial and commercial apps are poised to increase usage in the Latin American, Asian, and European markets. (GSMA, 2020)
• Apps will increasingly drive the internet time spent by global consumers on their smartphones and other mobile devices. In 2021, for example, consumers are predicted to spend 227 minutes on apps out of 251 minutes of internet time. This is more than a 90% share of internet time spent by consumers on apps. (eMarketer, 2020)
• In terms of smartphone sales and technology, hardware sales are set to continue stagnating unless the greater adoption of 5G and diversified design convince global consumers to pick up the slack. (HootSuite & We Are Social, 2020)

Environmental Impacts of Smartphone Production and Disposal

Smartphones have become integral to our lives, but their production and disposal significantly impact the environment. Here are some key points to consider:

• Resource Extraction: Manufacturing smartphones requires various raw materials, including metals like gold, cobalt, and lithium. Extracting these resources often leads to environmental degradation, habitat destruction, and pollution. Mining practices can also harm local communities and wildlife.
• Manufacturing Footprint: The smartphone production process involves substantial energy consumption, contributing to greenhouse gas emissions. Factories that produce smartphones often rely on fossil fuels, increasing their carbon footprint. Additionally, chemical waste generated during manufacturing can contaminate nearby land and water sources.
• E-Waste Concerns: As technology evolves, many consumers discard older smartphones, leading to a growing e-waste crisis. Improper disposal of smartphones can release toxic substances like lead and mercury into the environment. E-waste often ends up in landfills, threatening soil and water quality.
• Recycling Challenges: Although recycling can mitigate some environmental impacts, the recycling rate for smartphones remains low. Many consumers do not recycle their devices, which can be complicated and costly. This results in a significant amount of valuable materials being lost instead of reused.

What’s next for smartphones?

Almost 15 years to the days of their releases, the iPhone and Android smartphone technologies have proven to be as disruptive, if not more, as they were envisioned to be. This collection of smartphone usage statistics certainly shows it. As the centerpiece of the modern lifestyle, they have forced entirely new industries to be built around them—from the smart chip industry, software industry, the music and entertainment industries, as well as news, games, and other media industries. The education industry, too, was not spared, as smartphones often assume the elearning tool of choice for global households that find it the only solution to remote learning situations enforced by governments under threat by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Entire businesses and marketing strategies are designed around how people use social media on their smartphones, with social media management platforms taking the lead. In turn, social marketers adept at their own trade are employing more powerful social media monitoring tools to help them generate more leads and paying customers. The list could go on, including the crucial role that social influencers are showcasing today.

The role of the gaming industry in shaping much of the consumer usage of their smartphones does not need an elaborate introduction. Along with the social media industry, the video game industry has won the hearts of smartphone owners, downloading them by the billions and spending on mobile games by the billions too.

Together, social media and video gaming have bewitched billions of people by their charm. At home, in their workplaces, school, during commute time, and every possible break at school, people turn to them any chance they get. Alarm bells, however, began ringing everywhere as some of the people spend overly extended time immersed in their games and social media contacts. As a result, various think tanks, institutions, and technology watchdogs have emerged, calling out governments and industry leaders about generations probably risking their lives over the looming threat of technology addiction.

To be clear, smartphones and related technologies are not the problems. Psychologists agree that there is an underlying set of factors triggering it, from genetics to environmental conditions, and mental health conditions.

Moving forward, technology will relentlessly march on, as usual. Smartphones are relatively young. Who knows another one beckons in the horizon to replace it? Anyone?

References:

1. 2020 factsheet on smartphone addiction facts and statistics. (2020, February 25). DIY Genius.
2. 50+ global mobile payment stats, data & trends (Feb 2020). (2020, February). Merchant Savvy.
3. Advertiser Perceptions & MightyHive. (2019, March 26). The data-confident marketer. MightyHive.
4. Anderson, M., & Jiang, J. (2018). Teens, social media & technology 2018. Pew Research Center.
5. Apple app store content rating statistics 2021. (2021, May 3). 42matters.
6. Armstrong, M. (2020, October 19). Infographic: The apps Americans can’t live without. Statista Infographics.
7. Blacker, A., & Lenahan, M. (2021, May 4). Worldwide & US download leaders 2020. Apptopia.
8. Blair, I. (2021, February 19). Mobile app download and usage statistics (2021). BuildFire.
9. COVID-19: Screen time spikes to over 13 hours per day according to Eyesafe. (2021, May 4). Eyesafe.
10. Curry, D. (2021, April 1). App revenue statistics (2021). Business of Apps.
11. Curry, D. (2021, April 14). Most popular apps (2020). Business of Apps.
12. Customer experience optimization: Using psychology to give users an optimal experience. (2020, August 5). CleverTap.
13. Digital 2021: Global overview report. (2021, February 4). DataReportal.
14. Droesch, B. (2019, April 4). Smartphones will account for more than one-third of ecommerce sales in 2019. eMarketer.
15. Entertainment Software Association – ESA. (2021, March). 2020 essential facts about the video game industry. ESA.
16. Facebook. (2017). Smartphones are most popular gaming device across 12 markets. Facebook thru Marketing Dive.
17. Fintech app revenue and usage statistics (2021). (2021, April 29). Business of Apps.
18. Flynt, J. (2020, September 23). The growth and evolution of photography – Some surprising statistics. 3D Insider.
19. Gerstein, B. (2020, April 13). Mobile filmmaking 101: The ultimate guide. Movo.
20. Global mobile consumer survey, US edition. (2018). Deloitte.
21. Global mobile market report. (2019). Newzoo.
22. Global mobile market report. (2020, September 17). Newzoo.
23. Global social media market data and industry growth analysis. (2020, December). Research Company.
24. Google Play app content rating statistics 2021. (2021, May 3). 42matters.
25. Gray, R. (2016, June 1). 24 billion selfies were uploaded to Google last year. Mail Online.
26. Guide to smartphone addiction: Statistics, symptoms, and solutions. (2020, May 11). DailyWireless.
27. HONOR 9X research reveals Europeans now post a staggering 597 photos of themselves every year. (2019, December 9). HONOR.
28. Insider Intelligence. (2017, February 9). Mobile data will skyrocket 700% by 2021. Business Insider.
29. Iqbal, M. (2020, October 30). App download and usage statistics (2020). Business of Apps.
30. Koetsier, J. (2020, December 15). There are No. 8.9 million mobile apps, and China is 40% of mobile app spending. Forbes.
31. Koetsier, J. (2020, September 21). We’ve spent 1.6 trillion hours on mobile so far in 2020. Forbes.
32. Koetsier, J. (2021, January 7). Here are the 10 most downloaded apps of 2020. Forbes.
33. Kranjec, J. (2021, March 10). Digital payments to hit $6.6T value in 2021, a 40% Jump in two years. Finaria.
34. Kristianto, D. (2021, March 31). Consumers spent $32 billion on apps in Q1 2021— the biggest quarter since records began. App Annie.
35. Kunst, A. (2020, November 19). Video game usage by device in the United States 2020. Statista.
36. Landscape photo comparison: Galaxy S21 ultra vs. DSLR cameras. (2021, March 21). Samsung Global Newsroom.
37. Liftoff & App Annie. (2021). 2021 mobile finance apps report – Banking on the future of fintech. Liftoff.
38. Loesche, D. (2018, March 6). Infographic: Mobile e-Commerce is up and poised for further growth. Statista Infographics.
39. Marinova, I. (2021, March 8). 25+ insightful app usage statistics. Review42.
40. May 2021 Mobile User Statistics. (2021, May). BankMyCell.
41. M-commerce statistics 2020: Insights from trending stats. (2021, February 23). SimiCart Blog.
42. Mind-blowing statistics for mobile photography: What’s new and the best trend? (2019, March 25). Moblivious.
43. Mitic, I. (2021, February 9). 38+ insightful mobile banking & online banking statistics. Fortunly.
44. The mobile economy 2020. (2020). GSMA.
45. Mobile photography statistics (2021) | Top 11 facts. (2020, May 12). Eksposure.
46. New research shows how photo filters affect online engagement. (2015, May 20). Yahoo Research.
47. Number of mobile phone gamers in the United States from 2011 to 2020 (2017-2020 estimates). (2016, March 12). Statista.
48. O’Dea, S. (2021, May 31). Smartphone users worldwide 2020. Statista.
49. Partleton, K. (2020, June 25). There will be 2.5 billion mobile gamers worldwide at the end of 2020. Newzoo in Pocket Gamer Biz.
50. Perez, S. (2021, January 13). App stores saw record 218 billion downloads in 2020, consumer spend of $143 billion. TechCrunch.
51. Peterson, T. J. (2018, July 19). How many hours of video games is too much? HealthyPlace.
52. Reimagining commerce 2020. (2020). Episerver.
53. Richter, F. (2018, September 20). Infographic: Smartphones wipe out 40 years of camera industry growth. Statista Infographics.
54. Saxeena, P. (2021, April 26). How to earn money from your application. Appinventiv.
55. Smartphone market share by vendor. (2021, April 8). IDC.
56. Smith, J. (2021, January 10). Mobile ecommerce statistics (Updated 2019) percentage of mobile mCommerce shopping trends. OuterBox.
57. Spajić, D. J. (2021, March 17). Mobile banking statistics: The future of money is in the palm of your hand. DataProt.
58. State of mobile 2020. (2020). App Annie.
59. The state of online gaming – 2020. (2020). Limelight Networks.
60. State of the industry report on mobile money 2021. (2021). GSMA.
61. Statista Research Department. (2021, March 2). Apple: Most popular app store categories. Statista.
62. Statista Research Department. (2021, May 10). Global top iPhone shopping apps by downloads 2021. Statista.
63. Statista Research Department. (2021, March 2). Google Play most popular app categories 2020. Statista.
64. Statista Research Department. (2021, February 25). Number of apps available in leading app stores as of 4th quarter 2020. Statista.
65. Statista Research Department. (2021, February 25). Top Android shopping apps by global downloads 2021. Statista.
66. Study: Online shoppers desire personalization, but demand privacy. (2020, February 24). Episerver.
67. Study: Smartphone camera use on the rise among pro photographers. (2020, July 31). Digital Photography Review – DPReview.
68. Sydow, L. (2020, November 10). The new normal in 2021: Five things you need to know in mobile. App Annie.
69. Sydow, L. (2021, April 7). Your attention please. In a year of lockdowns, advertisers spent $240 billion on mobile ads. App Annie.
70. Tankovska, H. (2021, January 28). Global mobile social media penetration rate 2019. Statista.
71. Tankovska, H. (2021, February 25). Mobile social media usage in the United States. Statista.
72. Tankovska, H. (2021, February 26). Mobile social media. Statista.
73. Thomala, L. L. (2021, February 3). China: Mobile internet user penetration 2020. Statista.
74. Thomala, L. L. (2021, February 15). China: Number of mobile apps available on app stores 2020. Statista.
75. Top U.S. app category reach 2019. (2021, April 28). Statista.
76. Turner, A. (2020, July 16). Smartphone addiction, the definitive guide 2020. BankMyCell.
77. United Healthcare & Eyesafe. (2020). Screen time 2020 report. UnitedHealthcare.
78. Watson, A. (2020, July 9). Coronavirus impact: Global device usage increase by generation 2020. Statista.
79. We Are Social & Hootsuite. (2020). Digital 2020 global digital review. We Are Social.
80. Welk, B. (2019, February 14). 11 movies shot on smart phones, from ‘High flying bird’ to ‘Tangerine’. TheWrap.
81. Wurmser, Y. (2019, May 30). US time spent with mobile 2019. eMarketer.
82. Wurmser, Y. (2020, July 9). Apps far outpace browsers in US adults’ mobile time spent. eMarketer.
83. YouTube in numbers. (n.d.). YouTube.

By Nestor Gilbert

Nestor Gilbert is a senior B2B and SaaS analyst and a core contributor at FinancesOnline for over 5 years. With his experience in software development and extensive knowledge of SaaS management, he writes mostly about emerging B2B technologies and their impact on the current business landscape. However, he also provides in-depth reviews on a wide range of software solutions to help businesses find suitable options for them. Through his work, he aims to help companies develop a more tech-forward approach to their operations and overcome their SaaS-related challenges.