MOBILE PHONE STATISTICS 2024

Gain fascinating insight into mobile phone consumer trends, with SellCell's comprehensive mobile phone statistics for 2024.

Continue reading for data relating to mobile phones, smartphones, and mobile phone usage and behaviours of mobile phone owners of all ages, from child up.

Here you'll find some of the most robust mobile phone statistics, collated in one easy-to-read document.

All statistics come from online authority surveys, conducted by SellCell, so delve into the data below to see the most comprehensively collated list of mobile and smartphone related facts on the web.

Last updated February 7, 2024

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  1. How Many Mobile Phones Are Sold Each Year?
  2. How Many Smartphones Sold in Each Country?
  3. How Long Do Kids Spend on Mobile Phones?
  4. What Age Do Kids Have Mobile Phones?
  5. How do parents feel about their Kids having Mobile Phones?
  6. How much are Kids spending on Mobile Phone & Gaming Apps?
  7. Which Smartphone users are the most loyal?
  8. Are Apple or Samsung Users the most Loyal?
  9. How can Cell Phones affect people's behaviour?
  10. Are Smartphones eating into Family time?
  11. Are people using Phones during Thanksgiving, Christmas and Family meals?
  12. Is Smartphone Usage Affecting Intimate Relationships?
  1. Are Personal Mobile Phones being used at Work?
  2. Do Apple users want Chargers to be taken out of the box?
  3. Are Apple Users worried about Privacy?
  4. Are Apple users put off by the iPhone 13 Name?
  5. Will Apple users upgrade to the iPhone 14?
  6. Will Samsung users upgrade to the Samsung S22?
  7. How quickly are Smartphones Depreciating?
  8. How quickly are Gadgets Depreciating?
  9. Are iPods still valuable?
  10. Which Americans are Best at Recycling their Phones & Tech?
  11. Do users want Environmentally Friendly Phones?
  12. Is the Cost of Living having an impact on Technology?
  13. How dependent are we on Smartphones for online access?
Mobile Phones and Smartphones: General Facts

Mobile Phones and Smartphones: General Facts

  • Up to 1854.5 million mobile phones are sold every year, on a global level.
  • Up to 1532.0 million smartphones are sold every year, on a global level.
  • The USA sees up to 136.8 million mobile phone sales per year.
  • China buys the most mobile phones, annually, with up to 537.5 units selling there each year.
  • Currently Samsung sells the most handsets globally, followed by Apple, then Xiaomi.
  • Apple sold 29.6 million more iPhones in 2021 than it did in 2020. It has sold over 2.1 billion iPhones globally since 2007.

[Data: Source 1]

Brand Loyalty

Smartphone Brand Loyalty

Which smartphone brands have the most loyal following, and which have the most defectors?

  • Apple is the most popular smartphone brand, retaining 92.0% of its following, as most pledge to upgrade.
  • Samsung upgrade intention stands at 74.0%, leaving just over a quarter of its fanbase not intending to upgrade.
  • Only 8.1% of Apple users will switch to another brand, while 26.0% of Samsung owners will jump ship; a difference of 17.9%.
  • 46% of iPhone defectors would put their faith in Samsung, while 53% of those leaving Samsung would switch to an iPhone.

[Data: Source 2]

Child Usage

Mobile Phones: Child Usage and Parental Attitudes

Mobile phone usage isn't just an adult phenomenon. Increasingly, children are becoming more and more familiar with mobile tech from a very young age.

  • 42.0% of children spend over 30 hours per week using a mobile phone, that's an average of 4.3 hours a day.
  • Mobile gaming is popular among children, with 57.0% gaming on their device, but only 18.0% use their mobile phone to help with homework.
  • 12.0% of children first use a mobile phone when they're between the ages 1-2.
  • 40.0% of parents cite the resultant peace and quiet as the main reason they place a mobile phone in their child's hands.
  • 68.0% of parents see mobile phone use as being a positive influence on their child's overall development.
  • Many parents (25.0%) spend around $250 on a mobile phone for their child, while some (4.0%) have admitted to spending over $850.
  • A mobile phone is a popular gift for Christmas, with over 40.0% of parents intending to buy their teenager a device.
  • Parents will monitor phone use, with 88.0% of them knowing the passcode to their child's phone.
  • Most US parents (67.1%) worry that their children are spending too much money on mobile gaming.

[Data: Sources 3, 4, 5]

Adult Usage

Mobile Phones: Adult Usage and Behaviour

Adults use their smartphones to manage their entire lives, but do they know when they've used their smartphone too much?

  • Thanksgiving meals will see 27% of US phone owners using their smartphone or tablet.
  • Christmas Day meals see 30% of US phone owners using either a smartphone or a tablet.
  • 61% of US phone owners will get their mobile phone out during a family meal at a restaurant.
  • 25% of US families will regularly use their devices during an everyday family mealtime.
  • Of those who use a cellphone during dinner, 42% of them will be watching video content online.
  • The most popular reason for mobile phone use at dinner time is accessing social media, which 50% of phone owners do.

[Data: Source 6]

Relationships and Usage

Mobile Phones: Relationships and Phone Use

With so many people using smartphones, our relationships with our devices are increasingly replacing relationships with other humans.

  • 71% of people spend more time with their smartphone than their romantic partner.
  • 52% of people devote 3-4 hours more with their smartphone than they do to their significant other.
  • 78% of women spend more time with their phone than their partner, while 64% of men do the same.
  • 17% of women state that they have interrupted or will interrupt intimacy in order to check their phone, with 7% of men doing the same.
  • Most people (54%) prefer the company of their smartphone compared to the company of their partner.
  • 76% of people will check their phone before saying good morning to their partner, with 80% of women confirming they do this.
  • 30% of people prefer to converse with their partner via their phone, even when they're both at home.
  • 36% of people will check their phone in full view of their date / partner on Valentine's day.

[Data: Source 7, 21]

Phone Use at Work

Mobile Phones: Phone Use at Work and Working From Home

Phone use at work and at home may differ, but when working from home, new distractions can become a problem.

  • 61.6% of those working from home say that social media is their biggest distraction during work hours.
  • 53.7% of remote workers report their smartphone as a major distraction when they should be working.
  • 53.5% of people working from home state that they access social media during work hours.
  • 44.0% of people who work remotely, do so while streaming movies or TV series at the same time.
  • 21.0% of people spend up to one hour accessing their phone in their place of work, 37.9% spend up to two hours, 30.5% up to three hours, and 10.7% over three hours.

[Data: Source 8]

Apple

Apple User Opinion Statistics

Apple users share their opinions on a wide range of Apple-related topics, from accessories through to iOS privacy and security.

  • 73.9% of iPhone owners disagree with Apple removing the charger and headphones from iPhone packaging.
  • 79.0% of current iPhone users would like to see Touch ID return to future devices.
  • 56.2% of people running an iPhone would like to see an in-display fingerprint reader for future iPhones.
  • 72.0% of iPhone and iPad users understand that software updates can contain changes to privacy settings.
  • 65.0% of iPhone and iPad owners prefer generic ads to targeted ads in apps and websites across devices, and 59% of users would agree to tracking if it allows the app or site developers to deliver relevant content.
  • 48.0% of iPhone and iPad users are open to tracking if it ensures continued access to the service a website or app delivers.
  • 74.0% of people owning an iPhone or iPad state they are open to tracking if it means they don't have to pay for a service delivered by a website or app.
  • 74.0% of iPhone owners found the iPhone 13 name to be disagreeable, preferring an alternative.
  • Prior to release, 14.1% of iPhone owners intended to upgrade to the iPhone 14; 29.6% less than those who intended to upgrade to the iPhone 13 the year before.

[Data: Sources 9, 10, 11, 12, 13]

Android

Samsung User Opinion Statistics

Samsung and (more generally speaking) Android owners prove Samsung to be the most popular Android brand.

  • Prior to release, 20.0% of Android owners pledged to upgrade to the Samsung Galaxy S22.
  • During the two weeks prior to release of the Samsung Galaxy S22 range, the S21 Ultra was the most traded-in handset, accounting for 22.3% of all Android trade-ins.

[Data: Source 14]

Apple iPod

Apple iPod Statistics

2022 saw Apple remove the iPod from its range of devices, but there might be life in the device yet...

  • On average, Apple's iPod has depreciated in value by around 89% from launch to May 2022.
  • The iPod Touch 7th Gen 256 GB holds the most value out of all iPod devices.
  • When Apple announced discontinuation of the iPod in 2022, average resale value went up by around 3%.

[Data: Source 15]

Bar Chart

Mobile Phone and Tech Depreciation Statistics

Mobile phones make up a part of a much wider consumer tech landscape, so let's look at the two in parallel.

  • The Sony PlayStation 5 was the device that retained most of its value, barely moving in comparison to its launch MSRP.
  • The Xbox Series X lost 21% of its value compared to Microsoft's MSRP.
  • The iPhone 13 range was the best value-retaining smartphone, losing on average 27.5% after eight months.
  • The Samsung Galaxy S22 range lost 51.6% of its value in the eight months post-launch.
  • Samsung's Galaxy S22 range lost three times more of its value than the iPhone 13 range.

[Data: Sources 16, 17]

Tech Sustainability

Tech Sustainability Statistics

As people look toward the sustainability of their tech, many people are recycling their old devices. But who does the best job?

  • 55.5% of the people recycling or trading-in their old and unwanted tech in the US are millennials.
  • Females recycle old or unwanted tech less than males.
  • California is the state that recycles the most tech in the US, with 20.5% of old devices recycled or traded-in.
  • Apple owners are the biggest recyclers, as they recycle 13.8% more devices than Samsung tech-owners.

[Data: Source 18]

Chart

Mobile Phones: Environmental Statistics

Across all mobile phone users, there is a desire for more environmentally friendly handsets and accessories.

  • 63.4% of iPhone owners would invest more of their cash in a handset if it meant the device was more environmentally friendly, compared to 55.9% of Android owners.
  • 57.4% of iPhone owners will trade their old handset in when they upgrade, while 43.2% of Android users would do the same.
  • 3.9% of iPhone owners put their old, unwanted smartphone in the trash, versus 3.0% of Android owners.

[Data: Source 19]

Cost-of-Living Crisis

The Cost-of-Living Crisis and the Impact on Technology

The end of 2022 saw the global cost-of-living Crisis entering full swing. It has ramifications for the tech industry.

  • 20.3% (UK) and 10.8% (US) of people look to trade in their old tech to make additional cash during the cost-of-living crisis.
  • 41.4% (UK) and 37.5% (US) of consumers will avoid buying the latest tech in order to save cash amidst the rising cost of living.
  • The cost-of-living crisis has led to 26.2% (UK) and 13.4% (US) of consumers seeking to reduce phone and broadband bills.
  • 38.9% (UK) and 32.9% (US) of people plan to cope with the cost-of-living crisis by cancelling subscriptions like Netflix and Amazon Prime.

[Data: Source 20]

Smartphone Dependency

Smartphone Dependency Statistics

The term smartphone dependency describes those who are reliant on their smartphone for online access.

  • Young adults aged 18-29 in America are the most dependent on their smartphones for access to the internet (20%), followed by those aged 30-49 (16%), 50-64 (14%) and 65+ (11%).
  • Black and Hispanic Americans are much more dependent on their smartphones (21% and 20% respectively) than their White American counterparts (12%).
  • Men (15%) are marginally more dependent on their smartphones than Women (14%) for online access.
  • Americans on lower incomes are much more dependent than those with higher incomes, with those earning less than $30,000 (28%) most dependent on their smartphones. The percentage falls as income increases, $30,000 - $69,999 (19%), $70,000 - $99,999 (9%) and $100,000+ (4%).
  • Just 6% of college graduates are smartphone dependent, compared to 25% of those with high school or less education.
  • Urban and rural communities (17% and 18%) in the U.S. are more dependent on their smartphones for access to the internet than suburban communities (11%).

[Data: Source 22]

Infographic of above data - click below

Infographic

Sources and Media Contacts

PR Enquiries: If you have any enquiries about the data presented on this page, please contact SellCell's COO, Sarah McConomy.

Sources:

iPhone 13

What Is SellCell.com?

SellCell.com is the leading smartphone trading price comparison service in the US, ensuring consumers entering the circular smartphone and tech economies get the best value for money every time. Millions of unwanted smartphones are sold—and refurbished smartphones bought—via SellCell, every year.

SellCell uses a pool of over 45 trusted buyback vendors—brands who are waiting to take old tech out of the hands of one person, and then place it in the hands of another, completely refurbished.

Because of this close relationship with buyback vendors and refurbished tech resellers, SellCell is in the prime position to analyse statistics based on smartphone sales, smartphone values, and trends relating to smartphones in general. The same can be said for other tech like games consoles, tablets, and smartwatches.

Given its positioning within the circular economy, SellCell is always on hand to provide customers with the best value when selling their smartphone, and can advise on when to sell old tech, too. SellCell is here to guide the consumer throughout the entire process, from deciding to sell their handset, to replacing their prior device with a refurbished smartphone.

SellCell is confident enough to offer a best price guarantee, giving its customers peace of mind that they're getting the most money for their old devices, and spending less on a refurbished device.

SellCell has featured in TechRadar, The Daily Mail, Apple Insider, CNBC, Tech Crunch, Business Insider, and more, and regularly features in news.

Trade-In Your Old Tech Today

If you want to trade in your smartphone or other tech, grab an up-to-date value first from SellCell's price calculator, then head to its Sell My Phone page to search for your device.

Once you have a list of prices, see which suits you. SellCell always delivers the best price first, so you don't need to scroll through results to find the best value. Once you have selected your deal, lock it in, and then send your phone off as per the vendor instructions. Get the best price for your handset in return!

If you want to look at refurbished handsets, then SellCell can also help you find your next smartphone, saving you even more cash. Just head to SellCell's Buy a Phone page to begin the process.

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