Nós are living amid a quiet shift. Global smartphone users reached 5.78 billion in 2025, and there are about 7.4 billion devices in use. Those numbers shape how we spend our hours and minutes each day.

In the U.S., ownership sits at 82.2% and Americans now average 5 hours 16 minutes per day on these devices. Globally, the mean daily time is about 3 hours 43 minutes, with many countries passing five hours.

We’ll outline why this rise matters for work, rest, and shopping. Smartphones already account for roughly 70% of U.S. digital media time and more than two-thirds of e‑commerce flows.

Later sections dig into adoption, time spent, what people do on devices, and how faster networks and new services are changing behavior. For a broader view of where this is headed, see this brief on key shifts.

Where we are now: Adoption, penetration, and who owns smartphones

Smartphone users now number about 5.78 billion people globally. In the United States, penetration sits near 82.2%, up from roughly 20.2% in 2010.

Age splits show near-universal adoption for younger adults: 97% of people 18–29 and 30–49 own devices. Ownership falls to 89% for 50–64 and 76% for 65+. These gaps shape how services reach different groups.

• Urban vs rural: city residents report higher ownership and depend more on mobile internet.
• Income and education: lower-income and less-educated households more often rely on smartphone-only access.
• Smartphone-only households: about 28% of 18–29-year-olds lack home broadband and use their device as a main internet gateway.

Globally, many developing markets lag leading countries, which affects product design and growth plans. For more details on device access and demographics, see the mobile fact sheet.

How much time we spend: Average daily screen time in hours and minutes

Average daily screen totals have climbed, reshaping work and leisure routines.

U.S. benchmark: Americans now spend about 5 hours 16 minutes per day on handheld devices, a rise of 14% year over year. Gen Z stands out at 6 hours 27 minutes, showing a clear generational gap.

Global context and hotspots

The global mean sits near 3 hours 43 minutes. Some markets exceed five hours — for example, the Philippines (5:47), Thailand (5:28), and Brazil (5:25).

Workday overlap and behavior

On workdays, Americans report roughly 3 hours of device time during the workday, and 60% use personal devices for job tasks. That mix blurs breaks and work chores.

• We compare averages by age to show where most minutes stack up.
• We note weekends and evenings push total daily screen minutes higher.
• Practical tip: batching notifications and short goals can cut hours and restore focus.

Signals: 53% of people say they want to reduce daily screen time in 2025, which suggests rising awareness and room for small, effective changes.

What we do on our phones: Activities, apps, and media time

Daily activity patterns reveal how minutes add up across apps and tasks. We see a clear ranking of what fills our hours and shapes routines.

Top activities are strikingly consistent: email and taking photos lead at 83% each, internet browsing 76%, maps 73%, and online shopping 71%.

Social platforms follow at 67%, with music and podcasts at 66%, short videos 65%, and online banking 60%. These slices show where our time spent goes each day.

Why apps dominate

Smartphones capture about 70% of U.S. digital media time. That means publishers and brands must optimize for apps and small screens to reach people effectively.

Social gravity and short formats

Social media pulls across generations: 79% of Americans call it the most addictive category. Short clips, stories, and livestreams keep users returning during commutes, lunch breaks, and late evenings.

• Commerce moves mobile: wallets, buy-now-pay-later, and alerts make shopping and banking app-first activities.
• Attention factors: notifications and infinite scroll add extra minutes and extend sessions.
• Simple fixes: bundling notifications or customizing home screens can reclaim up to an hour for some people.

Commerce on the small screen: Mobile traffic, m‑commerce, and buying behavior

Mobile has quietly become the dominant storefront for many shoppers, reshaping discovery, checkout, and the minutes that matter in a purchase journey.

From browsing to buying, mobile devices now drive about 65% of e‑commerce traffic and roughly 73% of online sales. That means most visits and a large majority of conversions happen on a smartphone.

Social-driven purchases and seasonal peaks

More than half of buyers report purchasing after seeing products on social media. Creators and feeds shorten the funnel by turning discovery into immediate action.

Seasonal spikes follow the same path: Black Friday saw nearly half of online sales via smartphones, and Cyber Monday registers about 40% mobile share. These spikes highlight how per day shopping habits shift toward small screens.

Friction, fixes, and who’s buying

Problems still cost conversions. About 88% of mobile shoppers report issues—tiny images, confusing navigation, or checkout worries—and that leads to a 36% cart abandonment rate.

• Focus on speed: compress images and reduce latency to save minutes at checkout.
• Simplify forms: fewer fields and guest checkout cut steps and lift conversions.
• Use analytics: tap maps and session recordings show where users stall.

Gen Z and Millennials often start research on a cell phone, return later, or convert in-app. We must optimize for these behaviors to capture the rising pool of mobile shoppers—projected to reach about 187 million in the U.S.—and turn brief attention into revenue.

phone usage trends that are quietly changing our daily habits

Streaming and richer media are stacking minutes into hours. Average monthly mobile data climbed to about 23 GB per smartphone user, up from 15 GB in 2022. Faster networks and more video mean people spend much time on clips, streams, and live events.

Faster networks, more immersive time

Global 5G connections are set to top 1 billion in 2025. Lower latency encourages longer sessions for gaming, video, and live shopping. That boosts both hours and minutes logged each day.

Smartphone-only households and younger adults

About 28% of 18–29-year-olds lack home broadband and rely on a cell phone for internet access. This drives dependence on handheld devices for study, work, and social media.

Health, habit loops, and self-regulation

Many users report physical strain—eye fatigue, neck pain, and headaches—and 28% cite sleep issues. Still, 53% plan to cut back in 2025 by deleting time-wasting apps and scheduling breaks.

• Quick fixes: batch notifications and enable focus modes to reclaim minutes.
• Smart swaps: use wearables for low-value checks to avoid pulling out phones constantly.
• Track stats: monitor daily time to spot patterns and save an hour a week.

Looking ahead: Forecasts for smartphone users, screen time, and internet share

Expect steady growth in users and richer network experiences to change where minutes accumulate each day.

By 2025, global smartphone users are projected to reach about 7.34 billion. Wider 5G coverage and faster networks will support heavier media and more frequent sessions.

Growth outlook

We expect app downloads and mobile traffic to keep rising. U.S. adults may average roughly 4:02 per day of internet time on a smartphone, adding more hours and minutes to daily screen totals.

Mobile’s share of time online

Mobile’s share of online time is nearing 60% and climbing. Video, social, and commerce will likely claim the extra minutes, while super apps concentrate payments, messaging, and services.

• Behavioral shifts: cloud gaming, AR try-ons, and real-time tools grow as 5G spreads.
• Demographics: younger age cohorts and emerging markets will drive the next wave of users.
• Risks: app fatigue and privacy rules could moderate screen time growth and encourage wellness features.

For brands, our focus should be sensible cadence: meet audiences without pushing average daily screen time past healthy limits. In the next 12 months, watch screen dashboards, AI helpers, and policy debates that will shape how many hours and minutes people spend on devices.

Conclusão

, Minutes spent on compact screens add up into hours that change routines and markets.

Today roughly 5.78 billion people use a smartphone, U.S. ownership is about 82.2%, and Americans average 5:16 per day (Gen Z: 6:27). The global average sits near 3:43. Key statistics show smartphones drive 70% of U.S. digital media time and power 65% of e‑commerce traffic and 73% of online sales.

We can reclaim time with small moves: turn off nonessential alerts, batch checks, and simplify app habits. These shifts save real hours e minutes without losing convenience.

For brands, fast, clear, helpful experiences on small screens win trust. Track your own numbers, compare to the averages, and pick one habit to change this week for a healthier relationship with your devices.