Device obsession – transforming the way we use our smartphones

It amazes me how integrated (and indispensable) smartphones have become in our daily lives. How addicted are we in the U.S.? With a bit of exaggeration—but not as much as you might think—we think of smartphone usage like oxygen: it’s there, so we tend to help ourselves to it as much as necessary.

A few months ago, Deloitte launched the fourth U.S. edition of the Global Mobile Consumer Survey (GMCS). The survey was commissioned by Deloitte’s global Technology, Media and Telecommunications (TMT) practice, and in the United States alone generated 2,000 responses from consumers across six different age groups, from 18 to 74. This year’s survey took a deeper dive into how obsessed the U.S. consumer has actually become – and the results are surprising.

The survey asked consumers how soon after waking up they check their smartphone (the device’s alarm clock was excluded). Overall, nearly 40 percent look at their phone within a mere five minutes of waking up. Nearly 75 percent check their device within 30 minutes and almost 90 percent of consumers report waiting no more than an hour to look at their smartphone. For the youngest demographic (18-24), almost 95 percent check their phones within an hour of waking, but the oldest demographic (65-75) reported strong numbers as well, with 78 percent looking at their smartphone within an hour.

The survey also asked consumers how many times they will look at their smartphone in a given day. The results again support our national obsession. Nearly 10 percent of consumers look at their smartphone more than 100 times a day, nearly a quarter check more than 50 times a day, and almost half look at their phone more than 25 times a day. Three percent of consumers report looking at their smartphone more than 200 times a day.

Mobile is clearly a critical part of consumers’ daily lives. With all the added features and functionalities smartphones have (something we couldn’t imagine just 10 years ago), they are becoming even more essential in our everyday life. As we continue to use our smartphones more and more, there is an opportunity for companies in the mobile ecosystem to feed the obsession with even more innovative products and services, and to potentially capture additional growth and revenue. I know I check my smartphone more than 200 times a day. How addicted are you to your smartphone?

What do you think? Learn more about the 2014 Global Mobile Consumer survey online or via social media: www.deloitte.com/us/mobileconsumer.

#GMCS2014

@CraigWigginton (Twitter)

@DeloitteTMT (Twitter and Instagram)