Americans are so attached to their smartphones that 58% of smartphone owners are sleeping with phones next to or in their beds (72 among millennials).
- Check, Check, and Check Again. While only 17% of smartphone owners overall admit to checking their phones eight or more times an hour--that’s at least once every 7.5 minutes--this jumps to 32% for 18-24 year olds.
- This for That. In order to be able to use their phones, Americans are willing to give up some popular vices for a week. Things smartphone owners would forgo for a week in order to keep their phones:
Alcohol: 48%
TV/streaming video: 26%
Favorite food: 21%
Sex: 20%
Music: 18%
- Enough Sleep for Some. Difficult to implement for some, having good “sleep hygiene” habits do pay off. A greater percentage of people who leave their phone outside their bedroom when they sleep are getting the recommended 7-9 hours each night (62% versus 52% of those with the phone in their bed).
- “Smartphones have made interacting with people easier” for 61% of Americans. While that may be the case, most people (72%) find it annoying trying to have a conversation with someone staring at their phone. But younger people don’t feel as intensely about it. Only 34% of 18-24 year olds vs. 55% of people 55 and up find this behavior extremely annoying.
- Tech Use Reflection. When people are asked to reflect on their own phone etiquette, hardly anyone (4%) admits to using their phones while having an in-person conversation all the time or most of the time. However, younger smartphone users are multitasking on their phone while talking to others more than older users. Almost nine out of 10 people aged 65 and up rarely or never do this, but only 62% of 18-24 year olds refrain never or rarely engage in this behavior.
Read more from Harper's BAZAAR here.
Click through all the results for yourself below, and learn more about our methodology.
Question wordings:
Which of the following things would be the hardest for you to live without on a daily basis?
Car
Smartphone
Coffee
Exercise
News
TV/Streaming video
Sugar
Shopping
Other (please specify)
Which of the following comes closest to your view, even if neither is exactly right:
Smartphones have made interacting with people easier.
Smartphones have made interacting with people more difficult.
How annoying do you find it when other people use their phone while having an in-person conversation?
Extremely annoying
Very annoying
Somewhat annoying
Not to annoying
Not annoying at all
What type of smartphone do you use? If you own more than one phone, please select the one you use most often.
iOS phone (ex: iPhone)
Other (please specify)
Android (ex: Google Pixel, Samsung Galaxy)
Don’t use a smartphone
On average, how many times would you say you check your phone each hour?
0
1
2-3
4-5
6-7
8+
How often do you use your phone while having an in-person conversation?
All the time
Most of the time
Sometimes
Rarely
Never
How concerned are you that your phone usage is negatively affecting your mood?
Extremely concerned
Very concerned
Somewhat concerned
Not too concerned
Not at all concerned
Where do you typically keep your phone when you go to sleep at night?
In or next to your bed
In your bedroom but away from the bed
Outside your bedroom
If you had to choose, which of the following things would you be willing to go without for a week in order to use your phone? [Select all that apply].
Alcohol
Favorite food
TV/Streaming video
Music
Sex
Other (please specify)
None of these
