51+ Scary Smartphone Addiction Statistics for 2023 [Nomophobia on the Rise]

People have relied on mobile phones for communication since the rise of handy telephones in the 80s. 

When smartphones were released worldwide, consumers took on the trend, and now almost all people around the globe have smartphones. 

The current market value of smartphones is projected to grow from $484.81 billion in 2022 to $792.51 billion by 2029. With the increased use of these gadgets, more people now develop Nomophobia.

Read on below and learn how Nomophobia affects users - young or old, and see how smartphones rule everyone at their fingertips. 

Key Smartphone Addiction Statistics for 2023

Smartphones are powerful devices for essential tasks and global connectivity but also have a dark side.

Increased screen usage creates dependency, posing risks to work, relationships, and mental health. Gen Z currently ranks the highest in screen time, averaging 7 hours daily.

Here are more fascinating smartphone addiction statistics for 2023, and learn how people are affected by this.

1. 66% of the population shows signs of nomophobia.

(Slick Text) 

2 out of every 3 people are addicted to their phones, and the growing use of smartphones contributes to nomophobia. 

As users rely on smartphones for daily activities, many see smartphone use as essential instead of addiction.

2. There was a 39% increase in the number of hours people spent on their smartphones in 2022.

(Slick Text, Exploding Topics)

Cambridge Dictionary’s online fans voted for the word  “nomophobia” in 2018.

In 2022, the impact of smartphones on people's lives remains significant, particularly during and after the pandemic, as people spend more time on their devices. 

This resulted in increased use of smartphones in 2022. The time spent on smartphones is 3 hours and 15 minutes daily in 2023. 

3. The average smartphone owner unlocks their phone 150 times daily.

(Zippia) 

Smartphones have applications or software that help run daily activities. This includes maps, services, social media, and productivity platforms. 

Due to these, smartphone users lock and unlock their phones constantly.

4. 62% of US parents stated smartphone usage has increased screen time during the COVID-19 lockdown.

(Statista) 

More than half of American smartphone users claimed to have increased their screen time by 1 hour due to the coronavirus-induced lockdown. This is due to many people needing more to do during this period.

In the last decade, smartphones have become a permanent factor in people's daily lives. Most users now rely on smartphones for internet use, spending as much as 4.5 hours on mobile apps and browsing.

How Often Do People Use Their Smartphones?

Mobile phones and smartphones are pervasive in daily life and an essential component. About 6.92 billion people use smartphones as of May 2023. Approximately 86.11% of the world's population owns a smartphone.

Detailed below are the latest smartphone usage statistics as of 2023. 

5. Users, on average, spend 2 hours and 51 minutes daily on their smartphones.

(Bank My Cell)

The average time spent on smartphones is 171 minutes a day. In comparison, the quality time people spend with their families is less than 45 minutes daily. 

This shows how big of a distraction smartphones have become to people and shows no sign of reducing soon.

6. 58% of smartphone users don’t go for 1 hour without checking their phones.

(Leftronic)

These users belong to the 18-34 age group. They also find it harder to keep their hands off their smartphones for an hour.

Smartphones have become indispensable gadgets, enabling people to check messages, make calls, and surf the internet for extended periods.

7. Americans touch their phone, on average, 144 times a day.

(Reviews.org)   

Americans spend 2 hours and 3 minutes on their phones and check them an average of 144 times a day as of 2023, a 58% decrease in January 2022.

Nowadays, smartphones are a great help in our everyday lives. The increase in the time people touch their phones daily shows how glued people are to their devices.

8. Over 50% of smartphone owners never switch off their phones.

(Slicktext)

Over 50% of smartphone owners in the US never turn off their phones, causing them to be on 24/7. 

Additionally, 31%  of smartphone users in the US have never turned off their phones. This negatively impacts the user, the phone, and the environment. 

The benefits of turning off smartphones at night include less radiation exposure, helping reduce stress and anxiety, and saving phone battery. 

9. 71% of smartphone users sleep with or near their mobile phones. 

(Slick Test)

37% of adults check their phone five minutes before going to sleep, with the comparable figure for under-35s rising to 60%. 3% of them sleep with their phone in their hand. 

Phones play a considerable part in how we get through our daily lives. Scrolling through phones before bed can stimulate people and keep the brain busy. This could also damage one’s melatonin, preventing sleep from happening.

10. 53% of millennials check their phones in the middle of the night.

(The Muse)

According to a survey, 79% of Millennials put their phones right by them when they sleep, and 53% wake up at least once every night to check them.

Although sleep is vital to having a productive workday, people, especially millennials, tend to wake up in the middle of the night to check their phones for notifications and calls.

11. 80% of smartphone users check their phone within 1 hour of waking or going to sleep.

(Bank My Cell)

Approximately 80% of smartphone users check their phones within 1 hour of waking up, while 35% check their phones within 5 minutes. 

Checking phones first thing in the morning after waking up has become a crucial morning ritual. Most smartphone users check their phones once they wake up for social media notifications, news, emails, and text messages.

12. American adults check their phones 96 times daily.

(Zippia)

American smartphone users and smartphone users worldwide rely on their cell phones for several daily activities. 

These include making and receiving calls, checking text messages, social media notifications, emails, work schedules, online meetings, watching videos, listening to music, etc.

Looking at the daily tasks smartphones perform, users are expected to check their phones frequently.

13. In 2022, people checked their smartphones 58 times per day.

(Exploding Topics)

Phone owners check their phones nearly 60 times daily. Half the time, it happens during work hours. 

70% of the sessions last less than two minutes, while only a quarter last up to 10 minutes.

14. 45% of users admit texting at least once while driving.

(Drive Research)

Smartphone use is more dangerous on the road than alcohol abuse. Over 45% of people admit to texting and driving. 

Most individuals have demonstrated poor driving conduct, and some people exceed the speed limit while texting texts.

How Teens and Parents Cope with Smartphone Addiction

Apart from adults, teenagers spend copious amounts of time on their smartphones. 

About 95% of American teenagers either have a smartphone or have access to one, and parents are worried about how this affects teenagers’ relationships with school, parents, and friends.

Below are smartphone statistics and how they affect teenagers and parents today.

15. According to 31% of parents, the third most common cause of disagreement between parents and teenagers is screen usage

(NCBI)

Parents argue with their teens mostly about chores (35%), bedtime (33%), and phone usage (31%). 

However, parents can limit their kids' screen time in numerous ways. They should get the best parental control software to limit their kids' screen time. 

16. 89% of parents blame themselves and caregivers for their children's cellphone addiction.

(Leftronic) 

Reports show that 47% of parents think that their children are addicted to their smartphones. 

At the same time, 5% of parents blame the children themselves, while 3% blame the smartphone manufacturers for this addiction. 

Despite all these, 50% of parents are concerned about the impact of this addiction on their children's mental health.

17. 72% of teens feel that people expect them to respond immediately to notifications.

(Gitnux)

Teenagers rely on their smartphones to keep updated on the latest news for fear of missing out on their peers. They feel uneasy when they cannot check incoming messages. 

Due to this, 72% feel pressured to respond immediately, while some may experience cyberbullying from online activities. They admitted going online several times daily and must use the internet constantly. 

18. 41% of teens feel overwhelmed by the number of notifications they receive daily.

(Slick Text)

The number of social media apps is constantly increasing; with this increase, users have accounts with each platform. Teens can also access these platforms and can create profiles.

Platform users can have up to 6 to 7 social media accounts, bringing hundreds of notifications. Teens who use smartphones also admit to feeling overwhelmed with the notifications they receive from smartphones.

19. 46% of parents in the UK feel addicted to their mobile devices.

(Slick Text)

Only 44% of UK teens felt the same about their devices, while 50% of their US peers feel addicted as well. 

Nearly half of the parents (46%) and teens (44%) admitted to being addicted to their mobile devices and getting distracted by mobile devices once daily.

Screen time conflicts are common in today’s families with children, ranking as the fourth most common source of conflict for parents after chores, homework, and bedtime. 

20. 59% of parents feel their teens are addicted to their devices.

(Gitnux, Common Sense Media)

Common Sense Media states that 50% of teens feel addicted to mobile devices. 1 in 2 teens also feel addicted to their devices, and 59% of their parents agree that their kids are addicted.

Teens increasingly rely on tech gadgets, smartphones, social media, online video content, and gaming. This then develops an excessive dependency on mobile use.

21. 78% of teens check their devices at least once an hour.

(Gitnux)

Smartphone addiction statistics show that nearly 80% of teens check their devices at least once an hour.

Social media notifications, text messages, and calls are some distractions teens face even during school hours. Not checking their phones at least every hour makes them feel left out on important events.

22. 48% of teens spend more time socializing with close friends online than face-to-face.

(ZD Net)

69% of teens wish they could spend more time socializing with their close friends face-to-face. Socializing only on social media can be lonely for teens, especially when they need someone to talk to; this can lead to isolation and depression. 

Face-to-face interaction among friends lightens their moods as they feel part of a community, thus giving them a sense of belongingness.

23. 52% of teens sit silently, staring at their smartphones for extended periods when they are together with friends.

(Slick Text)

The majority of teens spend time with friends while on their smartphones. This behavior can also be seen among adults.

This sad reality of teens spending less time with friends is becoming more common, and smartphones are now rather a distraction than a tool for connectivity. 

24. 63% of parents are worried that their children could stumble upon inappropriate content online.  

(Deseret)

The pandemic forced most kids to attend online classes, which resulted in even more time spent in front of computers. Reports also say over 80% of parents are concerned that more screen time could endanger their children. 

Access to the Internet allows kids to search for any content available. This includes access to violent videos, pornographic content, cyberbullying, and sexual predators.

A survey found that 85% of parents keep their kids busy with tech. In comparison, 70% admit to never taking safety measures like smartphone monitoring apps. 

On the bright side, 61% of parents are vigilant about their children's online activities.

How Does Smartphone Addiction Affect Teenagers?

Several studies have also found that smartphone addiction is similar to video game addiction. Excessive use of screens can lead to several physical and mental health issues. 

Teens use smartphones to comment, criticize, approve, admire others, and check for likes and responses to activities, reducing the need for face-to-face communication.

Read on to learn more about smartphone addiction's latest effects on teenagers as of 2023.

25. In the US, about 9 people die from distracted driving due to smartphones daily.

(Forbes)

26% of teenage and adult accidents worldwide are caused by using mobile phones while driving. 

Reports further show that those looking at their phones while driving are 4 times more likely to have an accident than those who don’t.

26. 95% of teenagers come to school with phones, while 92% text in class daily.

(Gitnux)

Statistics indicate that 72% of teenagers watch their classmates watch videos, surf the internet, play games, and use social media apps in class daily.

Teenagers frequently check their phones for messages, including social media, emails, and text messages, as they need to respond to various notifications.

27. Teenagers who spend 5 hours a day on electronic devices are 71% more likely to have suicide risk factors than those with one-hour use.

(Mining Gazette)

Overusing smartphones and spending long hours online have been diagnosed as one of the primary causes of depression and suicidal thoughts, especially in victims of cyberbullying.

Additionally, cyberbullying victims are 1.9 times more likely to commit suicide.

28. 8th graders who are heavy social media users are 56% more likely to have depression.

(Gitnux)

Depression is one of the most alarming effects of smartphone usage on teens. Developing depression leads to other issues. 

3 out 4 teens with depression have anxiety, and 47.2% develop behavioral problems.

29. Teens that spend 5 hours daily on electronic devices are 51% more likely to get under 7 hours of sleep.

(Bank My Cell & NCBI)

The lack of sleep can lead to many other problems, including obesity. Researches show the average teenager needs 8-10 hours of sleep.

However, spending 5 hours or more on these gadgets will disrupt their schedule and lead to insufficient sleep.

30. 80% of teens typically spend time on their phones after they go to bed.

(Parents.com)

Spending time on phones after going to bed is not only seen among teens; adults are also guilty of this. Sleep deprivation is adding to kids' anxiety and stress, and as such, they need a proper night of sleep to be productive the next day,

Getting less than the recommended hours of sleep is linked to several issues, including behavior, learning, and attention problems, as well as increased depression, lower self-esteem, and higher anxiety.

31. At 43.3%, smartphone use and depression are positively correlated.

(NCBI)

Smartphone usage among users, especially teenagers, has led to high depression rates and anxiety, especially those often bullied online.  

Teens spend excessive time online, engaging in comments, criticism, approval, admiration, and checking likes and responses. This can lead to self-degradation and depression when ignored.                                                                                             

How Does Smartphone Addiction Influence Our Daily Lives?

Excessive use of smartphones can result in feeling isolated from society. Smartphone addiction adversely impacts peoples' lives as it increases the feeling of needing to contact faraway friends. 

Read on to look at how phones affect users’ lives.

32. The average smartphone user checks their phone every 12 minutes from when they are awake till when they sleep.

(DIY Genius)

Data shows that this is even more predominant in young people between the ages of 18 to 21. They check their phones every 8.6 minutes from waking up until they sleep.

Users check their phones out of boredom and for fear of missing out on the happenings on social media. A person waking up and checking their phone once awake could distract their mind and set the mood for the rest of their day.

33. 85% of smartphone users will check their devices while speaking with friends and family.

(Bank My Cell) 

Smartphone addiction has sunk deep into the system to the extent that users check on their phones and even chat with friends. 

This can happen while they are in physical gatherings among their friends and family members.

34. Users spend an average of 147 minutes daily on social media.

(Statista) 

Users spend hours on the social media platforms like TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, Snapchat, Twitter, and other platforms, chatting with friends, making posts, and dropping likes and comments on their favorite celebrities posts.

Social media apps are the most time-consuming apps users constantly engage in, and as the day goes by, the time spent on them keeps increasing.

35. Average users will spend 6 years and 8 months of their lifetimes on social media.

(Broad Band Search)

People spend more time on social media than on usual daily activities. The average person spends over 3.4 million minutes using social media lifetime, which is about 6 years and 4 months.

The trend over the past years has been for users to spend more and more time on social media, thus implying that people will spend more time on social media in their lifetime.

Smartphone Addiction Changes Our Work Habits

Smartphones can be distracting when you're trying to work; answering phone calls and checking text messages and emails while completing a task can reduce productivity in the workplace. 

Below are the statistics as to how smartphones affect workers.

36. 66% of US working adults use their phones during working hours.

(Zippia, Uswitch) 

The average employee spends almost 8 hours weekly on their cell phone doing non-work-related activities. 55% of employees say personal messaging is why they use their cell phones.

US workers aren’t the only ones, as about 75% of workers in the UK check their phones while at work.

37. 36% of millennials say they spend 2 or more hours per workday looking at their phones for personal activities.

(Slick Text)

Cell phone statistics show companies are losing millions because of their “distracted” workforce. That said, businesses should consider choosing an employee monitoring system to keep their employees productive. 

38. 59% think that personal use of technology is more distracting than work tools.

(Gitnux) 

More than half of global users agree that personal use of technology is more distracting than work tools. TikTok, Instagram, and Facebook are the top attention thieves. 

Once users pick up their phone to check for messages or notifications, it will take up to 20 to 30 minutes before they keep putting it down and continue their work, which is distracting and time-consuming.

39. 58% of consumers try to limit their phone usage.

(Slick Text)

Many smartphone users are trying to limit their phone usage by reducing their hours online and spending time on productive use.

Unfortunately, cell phone usage statistics show only 41% of them are successful, as social media apps can also be addicting to use.

40. 43% of workers turn off their phones to cope with distractions.

(Gitnux)

Almost half the workers have found a way to be productive. They turn off their smartphones during work hours, while some limit their phone usage by locking some social media apps they find distracting.

Doing this has reduced their frequent need and impulsive habit of checking their phones for notifications and calls.

41. 60% of 18 to 34-year-olds and nearly 40% of all consumers say they use their phones too much.

(Slick Text)

Smartphone addiction statistics show that 60% of 18-to 34-year-olds and nearly 40% of all consumers say they use their phones too much, implying that no age group is immune to it.

Although smartphone usage is high among Gen Zers, millennials are not exempted.

How To Beat Smartphone Addiction?

There are several ways users can manage smartphone use. Statistics show that setting rules for phone use can aid in limiting the use of smartphones. 

Setting screen time can be an excellent strategy for monitoring daily phone activity. However, effective implementation and discipline can help lower phone use.

Here are other ways users can manage phone usage and how effective these are:

1. The Bedroom

Most people use their phones to set alarms during bedtime to enable them to wake up early in the morning. However, you can buy a regular alarm clock and make the bedroom a phone-free zone. 

You don’t need the phone in your bed, as you will be tempted to unlock and surf the net instead of getting a good night's sleep.

2. The Table

Using smartphones on the dining table while eating is now a norm. If you want to limit your phone usage, keep it away while eating or socializing with friends. That way, you’ll enjoy both the conversations and the meal itself. 

It’s refreshing to talk to people face-to-face instead of chatting with them online. 

3. Turn off Your Notifications

Another way of limiting smartphone usage is by turning off your notifications. You can do this by going to settings and putting it on silent or by turning on the ‘Do Not Disturb’ (DND) button.

Turning off your notifications will limit the need to check your phone frequently.

Interesting Statistics About Smartphone Addiction

Smartphone addiction transcends the regular use of phones, with some willing to give up necessities or experiences to have their mobiles at all times.

Read below for other interesting - and shocking statistics about smartphone dependency.

42. 41% of people in the United States would instead give up sex for one year than give up their phones.

(Current Affairs)

A survey says that 41% of Americans said they'd instead give up sex for a year than give up their phone for a year.

Smartphone addiction rate statistics further inform us that 32.7% of Americans spend less time with their partners than with their phones.

43. 75% of Americans use their mobile phones in the toilet.

(Reviews.org, Bank My Cell) 

A survey reported that 78.5% of Americans under 23 reveal apps are fundamental for toilet time. 

In comparison, 60% of Millennials use their toilet time for smartphone apps, and 42.5% of Generation X confess to using smartphone apps in the bathroom.

They use their phones in the bathroom to make calls, text, and play with apps. Additionally, 1 in 3 women have sent a snap from the toilet. 

Sadly, the survey claims that 92% of respondents wash their hands after using the restroom, but only 14% clean their phones. 

44. 19% of them drop their phone down the toilet.

(Bank My Cell, Daily Mail) 

Insurers reveal that dropping your phone down the toilet is the most common excuse for claiming a new device, while others say it fell in the bath or hot tub. 

Considering over 75% of American smartphone users admit to using their phones in the toilet, it’s unsurprising that less than a quarter of them drop their phones down the toilet.

45. More people have smartphones than toilets worldwide.

(Vocalcom)

A recent UN study discovered that more people have access to cell phones than toilets today. Out of the world's 8 billion people, 6.8 billion have access to mobile devices, and only 4.5 billion have access to toilets.

Today, smartphones are more valuable and necessary than basic sanitation. These small rectangular devices can do anything– maybe cleaning bowels. 

46. 20% of people would instead go without shoes for a week and then take a break from their phones.

(Web Tribunal)

People become so distracted by phones that they fail to consider needing the basics. A survey shows that 20% of people prefer having no shoes for a week rather than taking a break from their phones.

Mobile phone addiction is a real thing. Mobile phones may be getting more popular but fighting this addiction can be easier to fight over time. 

Conclusion

Most people can’t live without smartphones, considering their tech an extension of themselves – the extended self. Most get anxious when their phone is not around, so learning to relinquish it for a change might pay off.

The smartphone addiction statistics presented above aren’t just numbers. They represent actual human beings; you probably recognized yourself in some of these stats.