Wake-up call: 74% of us use phone before we rise

WE’VE become so addicted to our smartphones that almost three-quarters of us use them the moment we wake, a new survey reveals.

Nearly the entire adult population – 96% – now owns a smartphone, up from 94% last year, as they’re now the preferred device for browsing shopping websites, general searches and banking.

However, the research by Deloitte found about two-thirds of adults – 67% – wish they spent less time on their phone, up significantly from 51% in 2023.

A total of 98% of 18- to 75-yearolds use their smartphone every day, with over a third doing so at meal times and 74% saying they do so as soon as they wake up, compared with 59% a year ago.

The number of people who check their phone at least 50 times a day remains at 36%, while the percentage who check it at least 100 times is also unchanged at 16%. Half of respondents – 52% – say they stay awake later than they planned to because they use their devices into the night.

While the research shows that a majority of people want to use their smartphones and other devices less, some wish they could do more with them when they do use them.

Just over a third – 34% – would like to replace their existing passport with one that is integrated into their smartphone, and 33% would like their driving licence integrated. A total of 18% would like to use their smartphone to unlock their house and 17% to unlock their car.

There has been an increase in the number of people who own wearables, such as smart watches, up from 50% to 67%, and smart TVs – 66% to 71% – in the last 12 months. One in five respondents has an external security camera or video doorbell, up from 16% a year ago. Over half of respondents use their smartphone or smart watch to make in-person mobile payments. Almost two in five – 38% – of adults regularly do so and 13% say they do so occasionally.

Apple and Samsung continue to dominate the smartphone market. A total of 37% of adults say they own an Apple iPhone and 38% own a Samsung phone.

Aside from price, the device’s battery, storage capacity and camera quality are the three most important features for people when buying a smartphone.

‘These results reaffirm how important the smartphone is in our daily lives and show that it is likely to further consolidate its status as the most successful consumer device,’ said John Kehoe of Deloitte.

‘While many people wish they could reduce the extensive amount of time they spend on their smartphones, it is clear that they are the preferred devices for everything from banking to online searches, browsing, playing games and shopping.

‘The European Parliament and the Council of the EU have already started to move towards the adoption of ID technology by reaching final agreement on European Digital Identity Wallets, a move which is now subject to formal approval.

‘If approved, these wallets will serve as a form of national ID card which could be used for both online and offline public and private services across the EU,’ Mr Kehoe said.

The survey also included questions about entertainment.

Nearly three-quarters – 74% – of respondents have access to streaming services, with the average person having more than two. Netflix is still the market leader at 62% and Disney+ continues to grow, up 3% to 36%, compared to 33% in 2022.

Almost a quarter, 24%, of respondents cancelled a video streaming service in the last year, with the main reasons being it wasn’t used enough (33%), or was too expensive (24%).

37% of adults own an iPhone