Phone and internet use: Calls drop, screen time increases
Two in five adults look at their phone within five minutes of waking, while a third check their phones just before falling asleep, according to Ofcom.
A high percentage (71%) say they never turn off their phones and 78% say they could not live without it.
The average daily time spent on a smartphone is two hours 28 minutes, rising to three hours 14 minutes for 18 to 24-year-olds, the report indicates.
Most people expect a constant internet connection, with the majority of adults saying the internet is an essential part of their lives, and one in five spending more than 40 hours a week online.
Our obsession with our phones is good news for advertisers. Nearly a quarter of all advertising spend is now on mobiles, and if mobile advertising was stripped away, ad revenue would be in decline for the first time.
Other findings from the report include:
- 42% of houses now own a smart TV – with Ofcom predicting this will rise substantially in coming years
- the average household spends £124 on communication services each month
- 40% of households subscribe to Netflix
- one in eight homes now has a smart speaker