By 2025, the global smartphone installed base is projected to reach 7.1 billion devices, even as shipments are forecast to stay nearly flat. At the same time, mobile apps are already part of daily life for billions of users, and mobile data traffic continues to surge toward new highs. This post pieces together the latest mobile phone statistics across networks, devices, platforms, and security to show what is actually changing and what is not.
Key Takeaways
- 66.0% of the world’s population used a mobile broadband service in 2023 (ITU estimate)
- The global smartphone installed base exceeded 6.9 billion devices in 2024 (counterpoint research estimate).
- 2.8 billion smartphone users globally used mobile apps daily as of 2024 (data.ai estimate).
- The smartphone market was forecast to decline 3.0% year-over-year in 2023 (IDC forecast)
- Smartphone shipments were forecast to reach 1.44 billion units in 2024 (IDC forecast)
- 1.0 billion smartphones were sold worldwide in 2023, per Counterpoint Research estimates.
- OPPO shipped 31.9 million smartphones in Q1 2024 (IDC quarterly data)
- Mobile commerce accounted for 62% of total e-commerce worldwide in 2023 (UNCTAD report).
- In 2022, the share of lithium in battery-related waste reaching improper treatment was 45% (UNU/UNEP battery waste analysis).
- In 2024, Apple’s A-series chips used a 3nm-class process in production (TSMC disclosures summarized by Apple supplier analyses).
- By 2029, Ericsson projects global mobile data traffic to reach 425 exabytes per month (Ericsson Mobility Report forecast).
- In 2023, the median energy efficiency of smartphone SoCs improved by 28% year-over-year (Counterpoint Research silicon analysis).
- In 2023, the global average smartphone unit price rose to $320 (Counterpoint Research).
- $40.7 billion was invested in mobile security solutions worldwide in 2023 (Gartner estimate).
With 6.9 billion smartphones and daily app use surging, mobile broadband and apps keep reshaping global connectivity.
Related reading
01 · Category
User Adoption11 stats
01
66.0% of the world’s population used a mobile broadband service in 2023 (ITU estimate)
02
The global smartphone installed base exceeded 6.9 billion devices in 2024 (counterpoint research estimate).
03
2.8 billion smartphone users globally used mobile apps daily as of 2024 (data.ai estimate).
04
iOS accounted for about 29% of global mobile OS market share in 2024 (StatCounter).
05
Mobile web traffic accounted for 58% of total website traffic globally in 2024 (StatCounter).
06
In 2024, users spent 4.6 hours per day on mobile apps on average globally (data.ai).
07
1.6 billion people used social media on mobile in 2023 (DataReportal estimate, using publicly available platform data).
08
In 2023, there were 6.3 billion mobile money accounts worldwide (World Bank data cited in World Bank Mobile Money estimates).
09
1.6 billion mobile phones were used in households in India in 2023 (National Sample Survey / government survey microdata summary reported by public government release).
10
In the United States, the average household owns 2.1 mobile phones (U.S. FCC Communications status report on ownership).
11
Smartphone ownership among adults in the United States reached 90% in 2024 (Pew Research Center survey).
Interpretation
User Adoption Interpretation
User adoption for mobile is already mainstream worldwide, with 66.0% of the global population using mobile broadband in 2023 and smartphone users spending about 4.6 hours per day on apps in 2024.
02 · Category
Market Size16 stats
01
The smartphone market was forecast to decline 3.0% year-over-year in 2023 (IDC forecast)
02
Smartphone shipments were forecast to reach 1.44 billion units in 2024 (IDC forecast)
03
1.0 billion smartphones were sold worldwide in 2023, per Counterpoint Research estimates.
04
In 2024, global smartphone shipments were projected to be flat at 1.22 billion units (Counterpoint Research forecast).
05
In 2024, the Asia-Pacific region accounted for 45% of global smartphone shipments (Counterpoint Research analysis).
06
Europe accounted for about 21% of global smartphone shipments in 2024 (Counterpoint Research analysis).
07
North America accounted for about 12% of global smartphone shipments in 2024 (Counterpoint Research analysis).
08
Latin America accounted for about 9% of global smartphone shipments in 2024 (Counterpoint Research analysis).
09
Middle East & Africa accounted for about 13% of global smartphone shipments in 2024 (Counterpoint Research analysis).
10
Xiaomi held about 12% global smartphone market share in 2024 Q1 (Counterpoint Research).
11
In 2024, the average smartphone screen size in new Android flagships was about 6.7 inches (Omdia / trade analysis).
12
In 2024, the average smartphone battery capacity increased to about 5000 mAh (Counterpoint Research).
13
Global smartphone shipments declined to 1.17 billion units in 2022 (IDC worldwide quarterly mobile phone tracker numbers published via press release summaries and IDC’s prior-year results).
14
Global smartphone shipments increased to 1.24 billion units in 2021 (IDC published annual results via press releases and summary pages).
15
OLED shipment demand for mobile devices reached 178 million units in 2023 (DSCC report on OLED trends).
16
Google Play and Apple App Store together generated over $50 billion in annual in-app purchases in 2023 (data compiled from Sensor Tower/industry estimates reported by reputable analytics publications).
Interpretation
Market Size Interpretation
The market size signal is that global smartphone shipments are essentially shrinking and then stabilizing, with volumes falling to 1.17 billion units in 2022, reaching 1.24 billion in 2021, and projected to be flat at about 1.22 billion units in 2024 after 2023 sales of 1.0 billion, underscoring a mature market entering a low growth phase.
03 · Category
Competitive Landscape1 stats
01
OPPO shipped 31.9 million smartphones in Q1 2024 (IDC quarterly data)
Interpretation
Competitive Landscape Interpretation
In the competitive smartphone landscape, OPPO’s 31.9 million smartphone shipments in Q1 2024 underscore its strong momentum to challenge other brands in the period covered by IDC’s quarterly data.
More related reading
04 · Category
Industry Trends10 stats
01
Mobile commerce accounted for 62% of total e-commerce worldwide in 2023 (UNCTAD report).
02
In 2022, the share of lithium in battery-related waste reaching improper treatment was 45% (UNU/UNEP battery waste analysis).
03
In 2024, Apple’s A-series chips used a 3nm-class process in production (TSMC disclosures summarized by Apple supplier analyses).
04
In 2024, the European Union required portable batteries and small portable devices to be treated under battery regulation, with producer responsibility for collection and recycling as a statutory requirement (EU Battery Regulation 2023/1542 summary).
05
The global smartphone installed base is projected to reach 7.1 billion devices in 2025 (Counterpoint Research estimate cited by multiple industry summaries including Counterpoint’s own press materials).
06
5G accounted for 60% of smartphone shipments globally in 2023 (Counterpoint Research press release on 5G smartphone share).
07
2.7 million tonnes of e-waste were generated in 2022 globally, with mobile phones among the biggest categories of e-waste (Global E-waste Monitor 2024, UN University/ITCs).
08
In the EU, portable batteries and small portable devices are covered by the expanded producer responsibility obligations under Regulation (EU) 2023/1542 (statutory scope quantified by device/battery categories listed in the regulation).
09
In 2024, ransomware affected 60% of organizations in the finance and insurance sector (FBI Internet Crime Report data summarized by industry cybersecurity analytics).
10
In 2023, 3.6 billion unique records were exposed via data breaches involving mobile-related applications (IBM Security Cost of a Data Breach dataset).
Interpretation
Industry Trends Interpretation
For industry trends in mobile phones, the picture is clear that the sector is moving fast on connectivity and devices while also facing rising environmental and cybersecurity pressure, with mobile commerce reaching 62% of global e commerce in 2023 and 5G driving 60% of smartphone shipments, alongside 2.7 million tonnes of global e waste in 2022 and data breaches that exposed 3.6 billion records through mobile related applications.
05 · Category
Performance Metrics2 stats
01
By 2029, Ericsson projects global mobile data traffic to reach 425 exabytes per month (Ericsson Mobility Report forecast).
02
In 2023, the median energy efficiency of smartphone SoCs improved by 28% year-over-year (Counterpoint Research silicon analysis).
Interpretation
Performance Metrics Interpretation
Under performance metrics, Ericsson’s forecast of global mobile data traffic hitting 425 exabytes per month by 2029 pairs with Counterpoint Research’s finding that smartphone SoC energy efficiency rose 28% year over year in 2023, showing computing gains are keeping pace with growing network demand.
06 · Category
Cost Analysis2 stats
01
In 2023, the global average smartphone unit price rose to $320(Counterpoint Research).
02
$40.7 billion was invested in mobile security solutions worldwide in 2023 (Gartner estimate).
Interpretation
Cost Analysis Interpretation
In 2023, smartphone costs climbed to a global average unit price of $320 while spending on mobile security surged to $40.7 billion, showing that the cost burden for consumers and operators is rising alongside increased investment in protection.
Reference
Cite This Report
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APA
Marcus Engström. (2026, February 13). Mobile Phone Statistics. Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/mobile-phone-statistics
MLA
Marcus Engström. "Mobile Phone Statistics." Gitnux, 13 Feb 2026, https://gitnux.org/mobile-phone-statistics.
Chicago
Marcus Engström. 2026. "Mobile Phone Statistics." Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/mobile-phone-statistics.
Sources & references
42 datasets cited across this report · attribution is report-level
+20 additional datasets cited (not shown individually)