40 Smartphone Statistics

How Many People Have Smartphones in 2024? (KEY Statistics)

Published on: December 3, 2023
Last Updated: December 3, 2023

How Many People Have Smartphones in 2024? (KEY Statistics)

Published on: December 3, 2023
Last Updated: December 3, 2023

Quick Answer 🔍

How many people have Smartphones in 2024?

6.925 billion people have smartphones worldwide.

Today, it’s challenging to imagine a world without smartphones. Local business brands can access the global market using communications apps.

Advanced smartphones have opened the gateway to plenty of other technologies. Social media apps are the most used smartphone applications.

This article examines the top smartphone statistics, some of which might surprise you.

Resource Contents show

Key Smartphone Statistics in 2024

  • 6.925 billion people use smartphones worldwide.
  • 85% of Americans have a smartphone.
  • 55% of smartphone users are from Asia.
  • 60.5% of UK citizens prefer Apple iPhone.
  • More than 5 hours of smartphone usage can cause health issues.
  • 46% reduced productivity caused by high smartphone usage.
  • 98% of GenZ have smartphones.
  • 7 out of 10 people check product reviews on their smartphone.
  • There are 1 million new internet users per day.
  • $50 billion spent through smartphones in 2020.
  • 6 brands out of 10 have a smartphone app.
  • 89.5% of the most installed apps are social media apps.
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Detailed Smartphone Statistics in 2024

1. There Are 6.925 Billion Smartphone Users in The World.

A surprising 38% of people used an innovative device in 2018. 

By 2020, the smartphone infiltration rate reached 46.5%.

5.11 billion people used mobile phones in 2019, of which 2.9 billion of them had smartphones. 

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2. 55% of The Smartphone Users Are from Asia

60% of the world’s population is in Asia.

According to GSMA reports, 64% of Asians are smartphone users.

China has the highest number of smartphone users in the world.

According to smartphone statistics, there are 911.92 million smartphone users in China. India follows with 439.42 million smartphone users.

The US has around 270 million people who use smartphones. By 2025, the total Asian smartphone consumption will surpass 85%.

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3. 99% of Internet Users in China Check Online Using Smartphones.

58% of the total Chinese population owns a mobile phone.

And 55% of them are using smartphones.

Moreover, 75% of the smartphones used by Chinese people cost around $312.

Chinese people spend more time using smartphones compared to US people. The reports say an average Chinese smartphone user spends 3 hours and 16 minutes. 

4. 3 Hours and 55 Minutes Spent in A Day in 2021 Using Smartphones

A study found out that the average time spent by US citizens on their smartphones in 2019 is 2 hours and 55 minutes in a day.

The average time spent watching television is 3 hours 35 minutes.

Gen Z individuals spend more time watching smartphone video streaming than TV time.

5. 60.5% of Uk Citizens Prefer Apple I Phone

Apple is the most popular smartphone brand when it comes to brand value. 

94% of UK adults use mobile phones.

Of which, 22% of users prefer to use Samsung.

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6. More than 5 Hours of Smartphone Usage Causes Several Health Issues

76% of sleep disruption happens to people spending more than 5 hours using smartphones.

Sleep disruption is accompanied by dry eyes(70%), headaches(63%), blurred vision(54%), and obesity(43%).

7. 97% of Americans Are Mobile Phone Users

According to Pew research statistics, in 2020, around 85% of mobile phone users have smartphones.

However, in 2011 showed that only 35% were smartphone users in America. 

8. 46% Reduced Productivity Caused by Smartphone Usage.

Although smartphones are helping people to complete complicated tasks and save time, it has been one of the significant reasons for laziness at workplaces.

Apart from work-related applications, most smartphone apps are related to entertainment. The continuous use of smartphones for entertainment purposes reduces employees’ average work time.

Several companies have banned smartphones in-office hours due to increasing productivity issues.

9. 98% Gen Z Has Smartphones

People aged 18-29 are the majority of smartphone users worldwide.

Almost 97% of them have smartphones, while less than 6% depending upon featured mobile phones.

Statistics revealed that 46% of people aged 65 or more use smartphones.

The latest trends prove that smartphone usage among all age groups will increase in the coming years.

10. 14 Million Jobs from The Smartphone Industry

The smartphone industry is subject to drastic changes every day. Tough competition between smartphone brands creates millions of job opportunities for people with different skills.

Moreover, a smartphone is built by combining various components like chips, plastic hardware, sensors, cameras, batteries, glass, and so on.

The smartphone industry influences each market. Smartphones are the reason for the drastic growth of social media apps and mobile gaming apps.

As a result, there are thousands of employment opportunities created in these sectors around the globe.

11. 7 out Of 10 People Check Product Reviews on Their Smartphone

Smartphones created more demand in the online business industry.

Especially the eCommerce industry. People use their smartphones to check products and related reviews before ordering them.

69% of smartphone users check product reviews before buying them.

It shows the importance of optimizing eCommerce apps for providing a better customer experience.

The customer must have the option to cross-check the product, compare it with a similar product, and should be able to check the user-experience reviews.

12. 1 Million New Internet Users per Day

The Global Digital statistics have shown an exponential growth of internet users in 2019.

At the beginning of 2018, there were 3742 million internet users worldwide.

Almost 360 million new users have joined the internet by 2019.

13. Mobile Internet Usage Doubled in 5 Years

In 2014, around 26% of people used the internet from their smartphones. It became 48% by the end of 2019.

People started depending on smartphones for many day-to-day activities. By 2025, Smartphones will become the most-used device to connect with the internet.

14. $50 Billion Spent Through Smartphones in 2020

Compared to 2019, the industry saw a 25% increase in the revenue generated from online purchases through smartphones.

The emergence of the Covid-19 pandemic has significantly impacted the increased online consumer growth.

People were stuck in their houses and depended upon several online services to avoid physical contact.

It was a blessing for most online eCommerce platforms. Their revenue has skyrocketed during the pandemic.

15. Mobile Apps Control 89% of Smartphone Usage

Brands and businesses jumped from smartphone-friendly websites to apps in no time.

They knew that people would depend on smartphones in the future for almost everything. Yet, only 11% of smartphone time is spent checking various websites.

However, it is interesting that 50% of smartphone users in the USA never download new apps.

16. 94% of People in South Korea Owns a Smartphone

South Korea is the leading country with 94% smartphone usage.

And 6% of the rest of the population owns a featured phone.

So that makes South Korea a country with all its people mobile phone users.

17. 6 Brands out Of 10 Have Their Smartphone App

With the rise of smartphones, the brands understood the requirement of screen presence in the app world.

Statistics say that people often trust a brand when they can easily use shopping apps.

Those brands with an app performed well in revenue generation compared to shops with traditional websites.

The shopping apps provide people easy access to all products. The customers can see the products, compare them with similar ones and analyze the user reviews sitting at home or in the office.

The customer will feel more relaxed when they are in a comfortable environment taking their own time to choose the best product from the rest of them.

A mobile app can store the products in the cart as the customer may hold the purchase for a while.

Such benefits make the customer feel happy and loyal to brands. Also, some brand apps provide extensive customer care support to assist the customer in choosing the right product.

18. 45% of People from Developing Countries Use a Smartphone

Like any other product, the average user count is different in developed countries and developing countries.

South Korea has 94% smartphone usage, followed by Israel with 88%. 10% of Israel uses regular mobile phones.

Countries with advanced economies tend to depend on smartphones due to various applications that can make their lives much more manageable.

So owning a smartphone is not the only important thing, but getting the opportunity to use multiple advanced facilities offered by the smartphone is the best thing.

Sadly, most developing countries don’t have the infrastructure that can fulfill these conditions.

About 60% of the people in South Africa use smartphones, and 33% of the people still depend upon featured phones.

Around 60% of people own a smartphone, and 23% of people use regular phones.

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19. 89.5% of The Most Installed Apps Are Social Media Apps

People indeed use smartphones as more of a tool for entertainment. 

Social media platforms are now available in beautiful and compatible apps designed and customized based on the smartphone interface.

Facebook has 2.85 billion active monthly users worldwide.

Only 1.5% of people use Facebook from their desktop or laptop.

Almost 81% of people use Facebook only.

Smartphones are portable and easy to use compared to desktops and laptops.

Moreover, smartphones are available in all budget categories, making them affordable to people. So social media also created customer-friendly apps to get maximum exposure.

An interesting study conducted based on the behavior of US citizens found that nearly 69% of people use smartphones to access social media from the restrooms! That includes Facebook, WhatsApp, Instagram, and Twitter.

On the other hand, desktops or laptops cannot offer users convenience and portability compared to smartphones.

20. 88% of Smartphones Users Check Their Phones While Driving

As smartphone usage makes people’s lives safer and more manageable, there are dangers, too. The increased use of social media creates eagerness in people to check “what’s new” in short intervals. It happens when they drive too.

The sudden notification sound from the smartphone is an invitation to check the phone no matter what the person is doing.

The latest news is just a swipe away! But a moment of distraction can cause severe accidents.

According to the WHO, there is a 400% high-risk chance of using a smartphone while driving. Again 54% of smartphone users use maps/GPS systems while driving. 

Pedestrians are also causing danger by using smartphones during their walks. Around 69% of the accidents are generated while the pedestrians talk using phones. And 9.1% of accidents are due to texting while walking.

21. 7.33 Billion Smartphones Users by 2023

The smartphone was an extra utility in the past. But now, it has become a  necessity that people cannot avoid from their life.

By 2023 there will be 7.33 billion smartphones in the world.

However, the total number of people who used smartphones in 2013 was less than 4 billion. 

22. 204 Billion App Downloads in Smartphones

In 2019, people downloaded almost 204 billion apps from their smartphones, excluding app reinstalls or app updates.

According to App Annie, there is a 46% increase in smartphone app installation compared to 2016.

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23. Smartphone Controls 54% of Global Web Traffic

When technology did not optimize most web applications for phone usage, things were different in the past.

Then, people had to depend on desktops or laptops to complete a bill transaction, post a photo on Facebook, access their email, etc.

For example, in the first quarter of 2015, only 31.16% of web traffic was accounted for from smartphones.

But that is long gone! Now smartphones are controlling more than half of the global web traffic.

Statistics prove that the worldwide trend of smartphone usage is exponentially increasing, that almost 70% of the web traffic will be from smartphones by 2025.

24. 63% of Smartphone Usage Is for Watching Videos.

User convenience is the most important thing to be analyzed before releasing a product.

But what is the best method to convince people to buy something? According to the statistics, video marketing is the best way to reach people.

Earlier, network bandwidth was the main issue in most areas, but the network quality increased as years passed.

Therefore, the combination of 4G and 5G supported smartphones and optimized video ads was a great advantage for brands. 

Social media shares videos at a rate of 1200% compared to texts and images.

In addition, a study proved that people share 20x more video posts on Linkedin than the other modes.

Furthermore, 65% of people like to watch YouTube videos compared to other platforms. It is estimated that around 500 hours of videos are uploaded on YouTube in a minute!

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25. 58% of People Try to Overcome Smartphone Addiction. 41% Never Succeeds!

Smartphones are trying to satisfy every requirement of its user, thus enslaving the user. People, especially in the age group of 13-24, are exposed to a high risk of smartphone addiction.

An average person touches their smartphones 2617 times a day.

About 50% of smartphone users like to keep the phone constantly with them. 

26. 87% of People Check Their Phones Before Going to Sleep, and 67% Check Their Phones as Soon as They Wake Up.

86% of smartphone users check their phones even while talking with someone else.

Therefore, smartphones are causing a significant amount of distraction in their users.

In addition, it is reported that 65% of people fear losing their mobile phone network (nomophobia). 

Another shocking fact is about 12% of adults use a smartphone during showering. Some stats show that they spend almost five years in front of the screen in a person’s lifetime.

Since most online streaming platforms and social media applications are available on smartphones, people get easily addicted to the device.

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27. 81% of Smartphone Users Spend Most Screen Time Watching You Tube Videos

The US has a lot of YouTube followers. According to stats, 81% of smartphone users spend most screen time watching YouTube videos. In addition, 75% of people use Facebook.

28. 52% of The Total Media Ad Budget Will Be Mobile Ads

Digital media controlled 74% of the total media ad market in 2021. According to the trends, we can expect a more than 76% change by 2024.

Among the stats, the most exciting thing is the growth of mobile-related media ad share.  In 2019, mobile media ad share was just 35% of the total media budget.

When it reached 2021, the market share became 45.6%. And by 2024, the mobile media ad share will be more than 50% of the total media ad market share.

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29. Smartphone Sales Are Declining

We all might have thought of a ‘perfect’ phone that could satisfy all the requirements at one point.

So why are smartphone brands not providing the best version of the smartphone? Well, that’s business! If a brand releases a perfect phone, then everyone will buy that phone.

But what will happen after that? If the phone is perfect, people can use it for many years without any customer dissatisfaction. 

So unless any physical damage occurs, the customer will not try to purchase new mobile models.

It will affect the smartphone market. Mobile brands will always try to make “not so perfect” phones considering possibilities. 

30. Average Monthly Data Usage of A Smartphone Is 7.2 Gb 

However, with the wide usage of 5G, the average monthly cap will become more than 10 GB.  The Gulf countries use 18GB per month. 

5G will become a trendsetter in many countries as it can perform with almost the same broadband speeds. By 2026, the average monthly mobile data usage is expected to reach 35 GB.

31. 57% of People Used a Smartphone App to Know More About E Commerce Products

The advanced eCommerce apps are straightforward to use. It is easily accessible to all sorts of people who have technical knowledge.

In 2019, more than 59% of people used retail apps for learning product details rather than from websites.

32. 76% of Moms Are Using Smartphones

Compared to 59% of females without kids,  the “Moms” spend 76% more minutes on the smartphone.

Women aged 25-54 use smartphones more compared to other age groups. “Dads” are also leading the statistics by 65% compared to men who don’t have kids. In earlier days, it was challenging to engage kids.

They may be super active, and parents had to find unique ways to feed them and make them happy.

But the smartphone has changed things a lot. There are 35 million weekly users on the YouTube kids channel.

The parents can switch to different channels that produce exclusive kid content. The beautiful music and colorful videos will make kids happy and entertained.

Such videos and tutorials help parents learn new things that help to reward themselves with “the best parent” awards! 

33. Covid-19 and Smartphone Pandemic

Like many other industries, the smartphone industry also saw various growth and usage statistics changes.

For example, in 2020, there was an increase of 39% more hourly usage in a day. In addition, 34% increase happened in texting and 32% rise in video calling using smartphones.

The unexpected lockdown period prevented people from visiting various shops and places. People had to spend the majority of the time inside their houses.

Eventually, they turned themselves into smartphones to avoid boredom. Some people started creating Social media content and became overnight celebrities.

They got a new platform to earn money using a smartphone.

People who already have jobs spend more time for entertainment through online video streaming apps, game apps, social media apps, etc. Students had to depend upon smartphones for online classes.

Due to the physical distancing and fear of Covid, people started using e-commerce apps and social media platforms to buy various products such as clothes, accessories, jewelry, etc.

According to the statistics, there was a rise of 23% in revenue from mobile shopping in 2020.

34. $92 Billion Revenue for Appstore in 2019

The combined revenue generated by the Google play store and the iPhone app store reached $111 billion in 2020. App store contributes 65% of the total revenue.

The most downloaded apps are related to games. 71% of the app revenue was from the games section.

Compared to the previous year, the combined app revenue surpassed the 24% mark. iOS generated more than $70 billion from apps in 2020.

At the same time, Google play store achieved a 167% increase in revenue growth over the past four years.

$13 billion was generated from app subscriptions in 2020. Again, iOS has become the topper with a 79% market share of app subscription revenue.

35. $500 Billion Contributions to The Public Sector from The Smartphone Industry

The smartphone industry is subjected to various kinds of taxation, just like any other industry.

However, apart from various charity contributions that are not part of the list under taxes, the smartphone industry has contributed significantly to public development.

36. $190 Billion Market Value by 2025

The reduction of corporate tax in 2019 enabled the smartphone market to climb new heights. By 2025, the global market can expect $190 billion from the smartphone industry alone.

The total manufacturing target is almost half the whole electronics industry.

37. 1.82% Conversion Rates for Smartphones

Smartphones are the best portable solution to access eCommerce apps. However, the retail conversion rate for smartphones is shallow compared to the 3.90% conversion rate through desktops. Tablets come second in the list with a 3.49% rate.

The retailers have invested significantly in creating user-friendly UI for their apps. Still, people feel comfortable and secure while performing cash transactions via desktops in a traditional way.

So smartphones have to develop more strategies to overcome the significant issues people face while on the mobile app.

38. 40% Smartphone App Revenue Owned by China

Chinese apps are said to be the most downloaded apps compared to other publishers in the Google play store.

38% of Chinese app developers focus more on the gaming apps than the 13% contribution of other developers.

However, the Chinese apps have an average rating of 3.49 stars out of 5 stars, which is low compared to the global average rating of other publishers with 3.52 stars.

39. 40% of Us People Give Mobile Phones to Kids Before They Reach 12

About 19% of kids under 12 gets smartphones from their parents in the US. Moreover, 83% of parents want to use advanced smartphone systems to be in touch with their kids when traveling or at the office. 

However, the availability of smartphones at such a tender age can create many psychological issues for kids.

Also, they can be misled by criminals using various social media platforms. The early usage of smartphones can also reduce the creative thinking capacity of people.

The essential ability to even remember a phone number will be discouraged by smartphones.

40. Google Play Store vs. Apple App Store

The current smartphone industry is divided into two. One side is ruled by Google’s Android and Apple’s iPhone. 

Apple products are usually expensive and favor people who enjoy a higher income. It is also considered to be a symbol of wealth.

On the other hand, android comes with cheaper phones and expensive phones. The significant advantage of android smartphones is their cost-effectiveness.

According to stats, India did 7.8 billion app downloads from the Google play store in 2020. At the same time, 2.1 app downloads are registered in-app store during 2020 in the US.

What is the Future of Smartphones?

What if I tell you that within the next ten years, smartphones are going to extinct?!

It is expected that 2.4 billion people won’t use smartphones in 2025. Technology is undergoing drastic changes every minute.

Experts are trying to replace physical smartphones with Augment Reality, Artificial Intelligence, etc. The idea is to make most electronic things smarter, just like smartphones. 

The graph below demonstrates the 2020 smart devices statistics in the world.

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Statistics show the significant advantages of smartphones over other devices like desktops and laptops were their portability and easy accessibility.

However, people feel that the smartphone’s battery drainage and physical size are issues as time progresses. The future expects a hologram coming out of a wristband containing all the smartphone facilities.

The storage facility will be in the cloud—thereby no physical battery issue, plastic waste issue, and easy portability than before.

The future is expecting more advancements in Alexa, Siri, Echo, etc. The IoT field is also expanding thanks to highly talented scientists.

FAQs

What Is the Average Monthly Data Usage from A Smartphone?

The average monthly data usage as of 2020 is 7.2GB. It is expected to reach 35 GB by 2026.

What Is the Major Use of A Smartphone?

People use most of their smartphone time to watch videos and play games.

How Many Jobs Are Created in The Smartphone Industry?

The smartphone industry creates approximately 14 million jobs.

Conclusion

Smartphones have become an essential part of modern life, and their usage continues to increase worldwide.

As the statistics in this guide have shown, smartphones are not only used for communication and entertainment but also for work and online shopping.

The rise of mobile commerce has made it more important than ever for businesses to optimize their websites and apps for mobile devices.

However, the guide also highlights the potential negative effects of smartphone addiction on mental health, emphasizing the importance of balancing smartphone usage with other activities.

How many people have smartphones in 2024? Overall, the smartphone statistics in this guide provide valuable insights into the current state of smartphone usage (6.925 billion users!) and its impact on society.

Sources

Oberlo Leftronic FinancesOnline
Pew ResearchIndiatimesPSU

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Written by Jason Wise

Hello! I’m the editor at EarthWeb, with a particular interest in business and technology topics, including social media, privacy, and cryptocurrency. As an experienced editor and researcher, I have a passion for exploring the latest trends and innovations in these fields and sharing my insights with our readers. I also enjoy testing and reviewing products, and you’ll often find my reviews and recommendations on EarthWeb. With a focus on providing informative and engaging content, I am committed to ensuring that EarthWeb remains a leading source of news and analysis in the tech industry.