Smartphone Users Statistics 2026 (Global Usage Data)

The number of smartphone users reached 5.78 billion, while the total number of smartphones is 7.58 billion.

In contrast, in the United States, smartphone ownership is tracked per individual, showing 82.2% penetration in the latest data, up from just 20.2% in 2010.

In this report, we explore smartphone adoption trends globally and in the U.S., highlighting growth patterns, daily usage, and future projections.

Smartphone Usage Statistics 2026 (Top Picks)

• Over 5.78 billion people use smartphones.
• More than 7.58 billion smartphones are in use.
• Over 97% of users between 18 and 49 years old use smartphones.
• Almost half of the people in the United States spend 5 to 6 hours on smartphones daily.
• Smartphones make up 70% of digital media time in the United States.
• M-commerce accounted for 60% of e-commerce.
• Smartphone users touch their phones an average of 2,617 times daily in the United States.
• Nearly 72% of teenagers check their phone messages and notifications after waking up. 

How Many Smartphone Users Are There?

Approximately 5.65 billion people use smartphones globally, representing about 70.1% of the world’s population, which is around 8.25 billion. 

Source: Data Reportal

• 82.2% of people in the United States own smartphones.

The percentage of smartphone users in the United States has increased to 76.5%, a 3.8% rise from the previous year.

In 2010, only 20.2% of people in the United States owned smartphones.

The table below displays the smartphone penetration rate in the United States.

• The United Kingdom has the second-highest smartphone penetration rate worldwide. 

As we previously discussed, the United States has the highest smartphone penetration rate in the world, with 82.2% of the population using smartphones.

Oberlo reports that the United Kingdom boasts a smartphone penetration rate of 79.8%, while France and Germany follow closely with 78.8% each.

Here is a list of the top 5 countries with the highest smartphone penetration rate. 

• The United States- 82.2%
• The United Kingdom- 79.8%
• France- 78.8%
• Germany- 78.8%
• Italy- 77%

In developing economies, smartphone adoption rates are much lower. For example, only 55.4% of the Brazilian population owns a smartphone, dropping to 35.4% in India. In Nigeria, less than one in five people (19.7%) are smartphone users.

Smartphone Usage Statistics By Age

97% of adults aged 18 to 29 in the United States have a smartphone.

Meanwhile, just 76% of those over 65 years old have a smartphone.

GenAI is now a mainstream mobile behavior, with platforms like ChatGPT, Gemini, and Claude now attract 2.42 billion active users each month.

Here are further details about the percentage of Smartphone usage by age group:

• 18 to 29: 97%
• 30 to 49: 97%
• 50 to 64: 89%
• Over 65 years: 78%

Source: Statista, DataReportal

How Much Time Do People Spend on Smartphones?

• Almost half of the people spend 5 to 6 hours on smartphones daily in the United States. 

This accounts for over 132 million users. On the other hand, only 5% of smartphone users use their smartphones for less than one hour daily. 

Seven percent use their smartphones for one to two hours daily, which equates to 13.76 million and 19.27 million smartphone users, respectively.

Here is a table showing the daily time spent on smartphones in the United States. 

• Smartphones make up 70% of digital media time in the United States.

Notably, most digital media consumption on smartphones is focused mainly on games, with 94%.

Here are some more insights into it. 

• Games- 94%
• Social Media- 92%
• Entertainment- 83%

Much of this time is spent on apps, especially social platforms. See our full breakdown of social media users worldwide to understand this.

However, education (77% share) and government remain the only two forms of digital media that still primarily rely on desktops.

• The Philippines spends over 5 hours and 30 minutes daily on smartphones.

According to Exploding Topics, seven countries have a daily phone screen time that exceeds 5 hours. Additionally, 18 nations have been identified as exceeding the average daily screen time of 3 hours and 43 minutes.

The global average daily time spent on smartphones is 3 hours and 43 minutes. 

Among the countries examined, only 1 European nation, Turkey, exceeded the worldwide average with a daily screen time of 4 hours and 16 minutes. Meanwhile, 4 South-East Asian countries comprised the top 10.

For a complete picture of how much time people spend on screens globally, check out our deep research on screen time statistics.

The following is the complete breakdown of the top 20 nations’ daily smartphone use in hours and minutes:

What Activities Do Users Do On Smartphones?

• 83% of people use smartphones for emails and capturing images.

According to the same study, 76% of respondents primarily use their smartphones for surfing the Internet, while 73% use them for mapping or navigation. The survey also yielded additional findings, which are outlined below.

• 78% of the millennials in the United States watch videos on smartphones at least once weekly.

Social media is also a popular activity, with 64% of millennials using it. Furthermore, 62% of millennials listen to music on their smartphones, and 54% play games.

Here are some other leading smartphone activities that millennials enjoy:

Smartphones have become the primary device for online shopping. Check our Black Friday stats highlighting their role in e-commerce growth.

What Are The Latest Smartphone Usage Trends?

There are numerous smartphone usage trends happening today. However, I have compiled a list of some of the most significant ones you should know.

• Average monthly mobile data use has hit 23 GB per smartphone user, compared to 15 GB in 2022. Market researchers note a surge in high-bandwidth video and app consumption thanks to 5G rollouts.

• Cell phone usage is expected to grow by 2-3% YoY.

Although it may not appear significant, this translates to nearly one billion new users. There are currently 6.8 billion smartphone users worldwide as of 2023, projected to grow to 7.34 billion.

• Smartphone app usage time in the United States has increased by 25% since 2019.

Overall, smartphone app usage time has increased by 30% globally, more than 5% higher than in the United States.

India leads in smartphone app usage time, with 80%, followed by Russia at 50%. Here are some additional insights:

• Global- 30%
• The United States- 25%
• India- 80%
• Russia- 50%
• Indonesia- 45%
• Turkey- 45%

• Since 2016, smartphone users worldwide have increased by 50%.

In 2016, global smartphone users were only 3.67 billion, accounting for 45% of the total population. 

• Mobile devices are now responsible for 65% of e-commerce traffic and 73% of total e-commerce sales. Social media-triggered purchasing is a leading trend, with 55% of buyers making purchases after seeing products on social platforms.
• Global 5G connections surpassed 2.9 billion in 2025, representing almost one-third of total mobile device connections.

What Are The Statistics On Mobile E-commerce?

The percentage of e-commerce done on mobile devices is more significant than any other type of device. Mobile e-commerce is experiencing a surge in popularity today. Let’s review the key statistics related to mobile e-commerce.

• 35% of mobile users use mobile retail apps multiple times a week. 

According to a survey of mobile users on retail app usage, 21% reported using these apps multiple times daily, while 22% reported using them once daily. 

A larger group, 35% of mobile users, reported using retail apps multiple times a week. Here are some additional insights into this group.

• Not very often- 3%
• Once a week- 19%
• Multiple times a week- 35%
• Once a day- 22%
• Multiple times a day- 21%c

• M-commerce accounts for 60% of e-commerce.

It’s worth noting that m-commerce accounted for 39.1% of the e-commerce market in the year being discussed, representing a significant increase from the 52.4% recorded in 2016. 

Given the growing dependence on mobile devices, it’s reasonable to expect that this percentage will continue to rise in the coming years.

• 55% of buyers make mobile purchases after seeing products on social media.

It’s been found that retailers with a social media presence earn 32% more sales than their competitors, and, conditionally, up to 90% of people will purchase from brands they follow on social media.

• 40% of sales of Cyber Monday are attributed to mobile devices.

Overall, shoppers spend almost $10.70 billion on Cyber Monday. Although 40% is a significant portion, the remaining 60% is typically attributed to purchases made on desktop devices.

Events such as Cyber Monday statistics also show the increasing reliance on smartphones for last-minute online purchases.

Compared to previous years, 48% of the online sales during Black Friday 2022 were made through smartphones. 

• Mobile devices drive 65% of e-commerce traffic.

Although mobile traffic accounts for most of the traffic, it’s important to remember that desktop traffic generates more sales. 

While mobile and desktop traffic make up 65% and 35%, respectively, sales are divided at 53% and 47%.

• 88% of mobile shoppers had a negative shopping experience at least once.

The majority of these issues can be grouped into the following categories: navigation (51%), small images (46%), security concerns (41%), and the checkout process (26%). 

As a result of these experiences, 36% of customers abandoned their carts.

• The number of mobile shoppers in the United States is expected to reach 187 million.

Currently, the number of mobile shoppers in the United States is 167.8 million. This indicates that in the next three years, the number of mobile shoppers in the United States is expected to grow by a minimum of 11%, despite a mere 0.4% average annual increase in the population.

Reliance And Addictiveness Of Smartphone Statistics

Nowadays, it’s become clear that a vast majority of smartphone users exhibit symptoms of nomophobia. This demonstrates just how deeply ingrained smartphones have become in our lives.

Below are some concerning and significant statistics that highlight the extent of our reliance on and addiction to smartphones.

• Smartphone users touch their phones an average of 2,617 times daily in the United States.

Additionally, for frequent users, that number can sometimes exceed 5,000. 

Although this figure includes instances where one frantically searches their pockets for fear of a misplaced phone, smartphone owners, on average, tend to unlock their device at least 150 times daily.

• The average smartphone user touches their phone every 10 to 12 minutes in the United States. 

According to Zippia’s study, it has been found that the average smartphone user checks their phone at least 96 times per day in the United States. This rather alarming statistic begs the question of how much time Americans spend on their devices.

Moreover, the same study indicates that 66% of smartphone users in the United States check their phones as many as 160 times daily. It suggests that many of the population are highly addicted to their devices. 

• Over a quarter of Americans (27%) in households earning less than $30,000 per year use their smartphones for internet access.

Although most Americans depend on their smartphones for internet access, there is a growing trend among wealthier individuals to do the same. 

Specifically, 11% of individuals earning between $30,000 to $99,999 rely on their smartphones as their primary internet access, compared to only 6% of those earning $100,000 or more.

• 28% of 18-29-year-olds have a smartphone but not broadband.

According to the data, the largest group of smartphone-only users without broadband is aged between 18 and 29, representing 28% of the total. 

Only 11% of people aged between 30 and 49 are in this category. The percentage of those aged between 50 and 64 increases slightly to 13%, while it remains at 12% for those over 65.

• 72% of teenagers check their phone messages and notifications after waking up. 

Notably, many teenagers have a strong attachment to their phones. According to a Finance Online report, 7 out of 10 teenagers check their phones first thing in the morning to read messages and notifications.

The study also indicates that 56% of teenagers experience loneliness, distress, or anxiety without their phones.

The following is a list of additional findings from this study.

• 72% of teenagers check phone messages and notifications after waking up.
• 56% of teenagers feel lonely, upset, or anxious without phones. 
• 54% of teenagers admitted to spending too much time on their smartphones. 
• 47% of parents say their kids are addicted to their smartphones. 
• 27% of teenagers are at risk of depression. 

• 76.19% of teachers say smartphones are distracting students in class. 

Based on Slick Text’s findings, nearly half (45%) of students confess to being online all the time, even in class.

In addition, nearly half of the students (49%) reported being distracted by phones and other devices. Furthermore, one-fifth of students (20%) admitted to using their smartphones in class for non-academic activities.

• 20% of children have smartphones by the age of 8. 

According to Finance Online, it is common for children to have access to smartphones at a young age, with approximately 20% having one by the time they are eight years old.

On average, members of Generation Z receive their first mobile phone at 10.3 years old.

It is worth noting that 53% of children in the United States own a smartphone by the time they reach 11 years of age.

• 99.2% of smartphone users have symptoms of nomophobia. 

According to Finance Online, it was found that 99.2% of users experience some level of anxiety and fear when they accidentally leave their phones. This is commonly referred to as nomophobia.

Out of the total percentage of 99.2%, 37% experience mild symptoms of nomophobia, 50% have moderate symptoms, and 13% are severe cases.

Moreover, 89% of college students report experiencing moderate to severe nomophobia, while 66% of adults in the United States are affected. These statistics are a cause for alarm across the board.

What Are Mobile Traffic Statistics?

Today, mobile traffic surpasses desktop or tablet traffic and continues to grow.

Let’s review some critical statistics about mobile traffic.

• More than 56.1% of global web traffic comes from smartphones.

According to Oberlo, the proportion of global web traffic on mobile devices has significantly increased over the past decade. As of June 2023, mobile phone usage statistics worldwide accounted for 51.52% of all web traffic, with the average percentage for 2023 so far being 56.86%.

Looking back to 2012, we’ll see that this figure was only 10.88%. However, just five years later, in 2017, the mobile traffic had increased to 54.09%. Here are some more insights into it.

• 2012- 10.88%
• 2013- 17.02%
• 2014- 28.97%
• 2015- 37.24%
• 2016- 45.91%
• 2017- 54.09%
• 2018- 53.01%
• 2019- 52.26%
• 2020- 53.07%
• 2021- 56.53%
• 2022- 59.66%
• 2023- 56.86%

Check DemandSage’s latest roundup of mobile internet traffic statistics to understand how mobile has become the dominant channel.

• 62.73% of total traffic came from mobile devices worldwide in Q2 of 2025. 

From Q1 of 2015 to Q1 of 2023, the highest mobile traffic of all time, 59.54%, was observed in Q3 of 2022.

Here is a table showing the mobile traffic worldwide.

Source: Statista