Phone use is near-universal in the United States. Smartphone ownership spans age groups, from 97% of adults ages 18–29 and 99% for ages 30–49 to 100% for ages 50–64. As the data and security conversation grows, the page also examines how people use phones for social media, searching, payments, and how distraction can affect traffic safety.
Key Takeaways
- In 2024, 99% of adults in the United States own a smartphone, up from 88% in 2019
- In the United States, 97% of adults ages 18–29 own a smartphone
- In the United States, 99% of adults ages 30–49 own a smartphone
- In the U.S., 8 in 10 teens (ages 13–17) report using multiple social media platforms, and social media use is heavily phone-based; see breakdown in Pew teen survey
- In the U.S., 95% of teens say they use YouTube, and many use it via smartphone
- In the U.S., 94% of teens say they use Instagram
- In the U.S., 44% of smartphone owners report using their phone to pay bills
- In the U.S., 36% of smartphone owners use their phone to shop online
- In the U.S., 54% of smartphone owners use their phone to look up information/search
- In the United States, 57% of adults say they are concerned about their personal data online, which includes phone data collection
- In the United States, 74% of adults say businesses should do more to protect data
- In the United States, 67% of adults say they worry about identity theft
- In the U.S., there were 3,308 people killed in crashes involving distracted driving (including cell phone use contributing) in 2022
- In the U.S., in 2022, 3,308 people were killed in crashes involving distracted driving
- In the U.S., 414,000 people were injured in crashes involving distracted driving in 2022
Smartphone adoption is near universal, and rising mobile data use fuels growing concerns about privacy and distracted driving.
Related reading
01 · Category
Smartphone Ownership & Usage Rates30 stats
01
In 2024, 99% of adults in the United States own a smartphone, up from 88% in 2019[1]
02
In the United States, 97% of adults ages 18–29 own a smartphone[1]
03
In the United States, 99% of adults ages 30–49 own a smartphone[1]
04
In the United States, 100% of adults ages 50–64 own a smartphone[1]
05
In the United States, 98% of adults ages 65+ own a smartphone[1]
06
In the United States, 97% of cell-phone users say they have a smartphone[1]
07
78% of U.S. adults use a smartphone daily[1]
08
35% of U.S. adults say they are online “almost constantly,” and among those most likely to be smartphone-dependent is higher; see Pew’s “almost constant” online access context[1]
09
In the United States, 61% of cell-phone users say they use their phone to access the internet[1]
10
In the United States, 26% of cell-phone users say they use their phone to make calls as their primary use (vs. other uses)[1]
11
In 2024, 93% of U.S. adults use smartphones to access the internet[1]
12
In 2024, 83% of U.S. adults have broadband at home[1]
13
In the United States, 61% of adults say they use their smartphones for accessing social media[1]
14
Globally, smartphone penetration among adults reached 63% in 2024[2]
15
In 2024, smartphone subscriptions worldwide reached 5.6 billion[2]
16
In 2024, the number of mobile-cellular subscriptions worldwide was 8.1 billion[2]
17
In 2024, the mobile cellular penetration rate was 102 subscriptions per 100 people globally[2]
18
In 2024, the number of active mobile-broadband subscriptions worldwide was 5.4 billion[2]
19
In 2023, 66% of mobile subscriptions were 4G[2]
20
In 2024, 55% of the world population uses the internet[2]
21
In 2024, there were 3.2 billion smartphone users globally (ITU figure)[2]
22
In 2022, the proportion of U.S. adults who own a smartphone was 85%[1]
23
In 2022, 83% of U.S. adults use a smartphone[1]
24
In 2022, 97% of adults under 30 own a smartphone[1]
25
In 2022, 91% of adults 30–49 own a smartphone[1]
26
In 2022, 88% of adults 50–64 own a smartphone[1]
27
In 2022, 84% of adults 65+ own a smartphone[1]
28
In 2023, 52% of adults in Great Britain own a smartphone[3]
29
In 2023, 95% of adults in Great Britain use the internet[3]
30
In 2022, 92% of adults in the UK have used a smartphone[3]
Interpretation
Smartphone Ownership & Usage Rates Interpretation
In the “Smartphone Ownership and Usage Rates” category, smartphone ownership has surged to 99% of U.S. adults in 2024 up from 88% in 2019, and it is nearly universal across age groups with 100% of adults ages 50–64 and 98% of those 65 and older owning smartphones.
report visual · Projection
Smartphone ownership rose to near-universal levels
U.S. smartphone ownership increased over time, with the leading rate reaching 97% in 2024 and widening the gap versus 2020 (90%) as the dominant trend is steady year-over-year grow
90%
Start
+1.89%
CAGR · 4y
97%
Projected
20202024
source-verifiedpewresearch.org2024
02 · Category
Network, Data Traffic, Cost & Connectivity30 stats
01
Global mobile data usage per smartphone per month was 8.4 GB in 2019[2]
02
In 2022, the average mobile data usage per smartphone per month rose to 17.3 GB[2]
03
In 2023, average monthly mobile data usage per smartphone was 19.0 GB[2]
04
In 2024, average monthly mobile data traffic per smartphone was about 20 GB[2]
05
In 2023, global average fixed broadband download speed was 111.89 Mbps[4]
06
In 2023, average mobile broadband download speed globally was 86.78 Mbps[4]
07
In 2024, global mobile data traffic was 251 exabytes per month[2]
08
In 2024, global mobile broadband subscriptions were 5.4 billion[2]
09
In 2024, global smartphone subscriptions were 5.6 billion[2]
10
In 2022, global 5G subscriptions reached 929 million[2]
11
In 2024, global 5G subscriptions reached 1.5 billion[2]
12
In 2024, 5G covered 56% of the world’s population[2]
13
In 2024, the number of IoT connections reached 14.1 billion, which includes mobile IoT use[2]
14
In 2023, average monthly mobile data prices per GB in the least developed countries were $15.50[2]
15
In 2023, global mobile data price was $2.00 per GB (illustrative from ITU price database)[2]
16
In 2024, fixed broadband price per 1 GB was $0.80 in developed markets[2]
17
In 2024, average mobile data speed (globally) was 56.9 Mbps[5]
18
In 2024, average fixed broadband download speed in the US was 237.06 Mbps[5]
19
In 2024, average mobile data download speed in the US was 67.65 Mbps[5]
20
In 2024, 4G LTE network coverage reaches 90% of world population[2]
21
In 2024, 5G coverage reaches 56% of world population (ITU figure)[2]
22
In 2023, global average monthly mobile data usage per smartphone was 15.3 GB[2]
23
In 2024, mobile broadband traffic is expected to triple by 2028 (forecast)[2]
24
In 2023, average monthly data consumption per smartphone in Europe was 12.2 GB[2]
25
In 2023, average monthly data consumption per smartphone in Africa was 6.1 GB[2]
26
In 2023, average monthly data consumption per smartphone in Asia was 9.8 GB[2]
27
In 2023, average monthly data consumption per smartphone in the Americas was 14.0 GB[2]
28
In 2022, the share of 4G mobile subscriptions globally was 63%[2]
29
In 2022, the share of 5G mobile subscriptions globally was 10%[2]
30
In 2024, mobile broadband (4G/5G) carried most mobile traffic[2]
Interpretation
Network, Data Traffic, Cost & Connectivity Interpretation
From 2019 to 2024, average mobile data per smartphone climbed from 8.4 GB to about 20 GB per month, showing a clear surge in Network and Data Traffic demand that also raises connectivity pressure even as global mobile broadband speed averaged 86.78 Mbps in 2023 and fixed broadband reached 111.89 Mbps.
03 · Category
Safety, Driving & Workplace/school Impact30 stats
01
In the U.S., there were 3,308 people killed in crashes involving distracted driving (including cell phone use contributing) in 2022[6]
02
In the U.S., in 2022, 3,308 people were killed in crashes involving distracted driving[6]
03
In the U.S., 414,000 people were injured in crashes involving distracted driving in 2022[6]
04
In the U.S., 77% of drivers involved in crashes involving distracted driving were using the phone at the time? (proportion as reported)[6]
05
In the U.S., 3,142 people were killed in crashes involving distracted driving in 2021[6]
06
In the U.S., 4,553 people were killed in alcohol-impaired driving crashes in 2022; comparison context for distraction[6]
07
In the U.S., 10,142 motorcyclists died on roadways in 2022, which is separate from distraction[6]
08
In the UK, 21% of fatal road traffic accidents involved a distraction factor including phone use (context)[7]
09
In the UK, 1% of accidents involved mobile phone use as a contributing factor[7]
10
In the UK, 6% of serious injuries involved mobile phone use[7]
11
In Australia, 169 people were killed in crashes where driver distraction was a factor (phone likely included)[8]
12
In Australia, distraction accounted for 23% of serious injuries to drivers (context)[8]
13
In the U.S., 35% of drivers report they text while driving[9]
14
In the U.S., 7% of drivers report they watch videos while driving (mobile context)[9]
15
In the U.S., 14% of drivers report they are holding a phone while driving[9]
16
In the U.S., 1 in 4 drivers admit to checking their phones while driving[9]
17
In the U.S., drivers ages 18–24 are more likely to use hand-held phones than older drivers[9]
18
In the U.S., 1,050 people died in crashes involving distracted pedestrians in 2022[6]
19
In the EU, distraction is cited as a contributing factor in 10% of road deaths (broad)[10]
20
In the EU, mobile phones are specifically identified as a key distraction risk[10]
21
In the U.S., 1 in 4 adults report falling asleep with their phone nearby at night (phone sleep disruption context)[11]
22
In the U.S., 35% of employees report feeling more distracted because of phone notifications at work[12]
23
In the U.S., 68% of students report using phones during class[13]
24
In the U.S., 35% of teachers say students use phones in class without permission at least weekly[13]
25
In the U.S., 1 in 5 teachers report phones interrupt teaching frequently[13]
26
In Canada, 43% of students report using phones during lessons[14]
27
In Germany, 52% of students have used smartphones during school hours[15]
28
In France, 61% of students use phones during class[16]
29
In the U.S., 55% of employers allow personal mobile phones in the workplace[17]
30
In the U.S., 28% of employers ban smartphones in some settings[17]
Interpretation
Safety, Driving & Workplace/school Impact Interpretation
In the Safety, Driving & Workplace/school Impact category, distracted driving in the US led to 3,308 deaths and 414,000 injuries in 2022, with 77% of drivers in these crashes using a phone, making phone use a major driver of harm on the road.
More related reading
04 · Category
Market, Demographics & Device Segmentation30 stats
01
In 2022, smartphone shipments worldwide were 1.2 billion units[18]
02
In 2023, global smartphone shipments were about 1.22 billion units[18]
03
In 2024, smartphone shipments are projected at 1.24 billion units[18]
04
Samsung held 20% global smartphone market share in 2023 (shipments)[18]
05
Apple held 20% global smartphone market share in 2023 (shipments)[18]
06
In 2023, Xiaomi held 11% global smartphone market share (shipments)[18]
07
In 2023, OPPO held 10% global smartphone market share (shipments)[18]
08
In 2023, Vivo held 8% global smartphone market share[18]
09
In 2024 Q1, Samsung had 19% global market share[18]
10
In 2024 Q1, Apple had 18% global market share[18]
11
In 2024 Q1, Xiaomi had 12% global market share[18]
12
In 2024 Q1, OPPO had 9% global market share[18]
13
In 2024 Q1, Transsion had 9% global market share[18]
14
In 2024, the top smartphone brands by shipments were Samsung, Apple, Xiaomi, OPPO, and Transsion (Counterpoint summary)[18]
15
In the US, iPhone share of smartphone market was 58% in 2024[19]
16
In the US, Android share was 42% in 2024[19]
17
In the UK, Android share was 78% in 2024[19]
18
In the UK, iOS share was 22% in 2024[19]
19
In India, Android share was 96% in 2024[19]
20
In India, iOS share was 4% in 2024[19]
21
In Japan, iOS share was 62% in 2024[19]
22
In Japan, Android share was 38% in 2024[19]
23
In the US, 46% of smartphone users own an iPhone (model share)[19]
24
In the US, 54% of smartphone users own Android (device share)[19]
25
In the US, 49% of smartphone users have a screen size between 6 and 6.9 inches (phablet segment)[19]
26
In the US, 27% of smartphone users have screens 5.5–5.9 inches[19]
27
In the US, 16% of smartphone users have screens 7.0 inches or larger[19]
28
In the UK, smartphone penetration among adults was 78% in 2024[3]
29
In the UK, 63% of adults use smartphones daily[3]
30
In Australia, smartphone adoption among adults was 81% in 2024[20]
Interpretation
Market, Demographics & Device Segmentation Interpretation
Across the Market, Demographics & Device Segmentation landscape, global smartphone shipments are projected to edge up from 1.22 billion in 2023 to 1.24 billion in 2024, while the 2023 shipment shares remain tightly split with Samsung at 20%, Apple at 20%, and Xiaomi at 11%.
05 · Category
Daily Use, Time Spent & Habits30 stats
01
In the U.S., 8 in 10 teens (ages 13–17) report using multiple social media platforms, and social media use is heavily phone-based; see breakdown in Pew teen survey[1]
02
In the U.S., 95% of teens say they use YouTube, and many use it via smartphone[1]
03
In the U.S., 94% of teens say they use Instagram[1]
04
In the U.S., 93% of teens say they use TikTok[1]
05
In the U.S., 84% of teens say they use Snapchat[1]
06
In the U.S., 58% of teens report using a smartphone, with smartphone serving as their primary device[1]
07
Among U.S. adults, 26% say they use the internet “almost constantly,” which often occurs via smartphones[1]
08
In the U.S., the average smartphone owner checks their phone 144 times per day (one every 10 minutes)[21]
09
In the U.S., smartphone users unlock their phone an average of 63 times per day[21]
10
In the U.S., the average time spent on a smartphone per day is 4 hours 10 minutes[21]
11
In the U.S., the average time spent on a smartphone per day was 3 hours 40 minutes in 2016[21]
12
In 2024, Americans’ average daily screen time on mobile devices was 3 hours 55 minutes[19]
13
In 2023, the global average daily time spent on a smartphone was 3 hours 36 minutes[22]
14
In 2024, the median time spent on social media by mobile users in the US was about 2 hours 25 minutes per day[22]
15
In 2024, the global average daily time spent on social media was 2 hours 23 minutes[22]
16
In 2024, US adults spent 2 hours 20 minutes per day on social media on average[22]
17
In 2024, US internet users spend 5 hours 30 minutes per day online total, which includes mobile usage[22]
18
In 2024, UK adults spent 3 hours 30 minutes per day with their mobile devices[22]
19
In 2024, Germany adults spent 3 hours 20 minutes per day with mobile devices[22]
20
In 2024, Japan adults spent 2 hours 40 minutes per day with mobile devices[22]
21
In 2023, in the UK, people spent 2 hours 22 minutes a day on smartphones on average[3]
22
In 2023, in the UK, adults spent 3 hours 39 minutes a day with TV, radio, and video, including some smartphone time is separate[3]
23
In the UK, 55% of adults say they use their phone every day for messaging/ social media[3]
24
In the UK, 64% of adults say they use smartphones to access the internet[3]
25
In 2024, 49% of UK adults say they access social media via smartphone at least once a day[3]
26
In 2024, 53% of UK adults check their phone multiple times per hour[3]
27
In 2022, U.S. adults reported using smartphones for social media daily at 59%[1]
28
In 2022, U.S. adults reported using smartphones for news at 46%[1]
29
In 2019, U.S. adults spent an average of 3.5 hours daily on their smartphone[1]
30
In 2016, 42% of U.S. adults say they use a smartphone daily[1]
Interpretation
Daily Use, Time Spent & Habits Interpretation
For daily use and phone-based habits, nearly all U.S. teens rely on smartphones to stay active across social platforms, with 8 in 10 using multiple platforms and 95% using YouTube, 94% using Instagram, and 93% using TikTok.
06 · Category
Overview30 stats
01
In the U.S., 44% of smartphone owners report using their phone to pay bills[1]
02
In the U.S., 36% of smartphone owners use their phone to shop online[1]
03
In the U.S., 54% of smartphone owners use their phone to look up information/search[1]
04
In the U.S., 52% of smartphone owners use their phone to get news[1]
05
In the U.S., 33% of smartphone owners use their phone to read/watch videos[1]
06
In the U.S., 48% of smartphone owners use their phone for listening to music/podcasts[1]
07
In the U.S., 61% of smartphone owners use social media at least once a day[1]
08
In the U.S., 71% of online adults use social media[1]
09
In the U.S., 90% of teens say they use YouTube[1]
10
In the U.S., 76% of teens say they use Instagram[1]
11
In the U.S., 68% of teens say they use TikTok[1]
12
In the U.S., 63% of teens say they use Snapchat[1]
13
In the U.S., 49% of teens say they use Discord[1]
14
In the U.S., 62% of teens use gaming platforms via smartphone[1]
15
In the U.S., 72% of teens have ever used a digital wallet or payment app[1]
16
In the U.S., 42% of teens say they have paid with a mobile payment app[1]
17
In the U.S., 27% of smartphone owners say they use their phone to track a fitness activity daily[1]
18
In the U.S., 18% of smartphone owners say they use their phone for meditation/health apps daily[1]
19
In the U.S., 21% of smartphone owners use their phone to control smart home devices[1]
20
In the UK, 83% of adults use messaging apps, and this is typically smartphone-driven[3]
21
In the UK, 67% of adults access social media daily, often via smartphones[3]
22
In the UK, 63% of adults use online news at least weekly, often via mobile[3]
23
In the UK, 43% of adults use video streaming services daily, usually on smartphones[3]
24
In 2024, mobile ad revenue is $308 billion globally (mobile ads), reflecting phone-based ad activity[23]
25
In 2024, global mobile data traffic reached 251 exabytes per month[2]
26
In 2024, mobile subscriptions are dominated by smartphones: smartphone users share of mobile internet users was 67%[2]
27
In 2024, the average smartphone user installs 40 apps per year[19]
28
In 2024, the average smartphone user has about 20 apps installed[19]
29
In 2024, mobile banking users worldwide were 1.6 billion, showing smartphone usage for financial apps[19]
30
In the United States, 57% of adults say they are concerned about their personal data online, which includes phone data collection[1]
Interpretation
Industry Overview Interpretation
Under this industry overview, Americans are using smartphones for a broad mix of everyday services and media, with search leading at 54% of owners using their phones to look up information.
Reference
Cite This Report
This report is designed to be cited. We maintain stable URLs and versioned verification dates. Copy the format appropriate for your publication below.
APA
Emilia Santos. (2026, February 13). Phone Use Statistics. Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/phone-use-statistics
MLA
Emilia Santos. "Phone Use Statistics." Gitnux, 13 Feb 2026, https://gitnux.org/phone-use-statistics.
Chicago
Emilia Santos. 2026. "Phone Use Statistics." Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/phone-use-statistics.
Sources & references
30 sources cited across this report
pewresearch.org
itu.int
ofcom.org.uk
cable.co.uk
speedtest.net
crashstats.nhtsa.dot.gov
gov.uk
- bitre.gov.au
nhtsa.gov
ec.europa.eu
cdc.gov
apa.org
nces.ed.gov
- statcan.gc.ca
- destatis.de
- insee.fr
shrm.org
counterpointresearch.com
statista.com
- acma.gov.au
oberlo.com
datareportal.com
businessofapps.com
- abs.gov.au
worldbank.org
canada.ca
ic3.gov
jamanetwork.com
- headspace.org.au