Irish people check their phones on average 58 times per day – study finds finds

Almost a third (32%) of us look at our phones over 50 times a day

87% of phone users check their phone within the first hour of waking up, with a third of people checking their phone within the first five minutes – both increasing on 2019. That's according to the first publication of Deloitte Ireland’s Digital Consumer Trends 2020 report.

Among the key findings in the report were:

- 65% of 18-24 year-olds believe they use their smartphones too much

- 62% of us use our phone to check our bank balances, and for over 50% it is the preferred device to do so

- Tablet devices saw the biggest year-on-year increase in ownership, from 43% in 2019 to 64% in 2020

- 40% of Irish workers claim it is easier to work from home compared to only 26% for UK workers

- 45% of women found it easier compared to men at 35%

- Over a quarter of those working from home were working longer hours

- 50% of respondents would support the Government's usage of information generated by smartphone or other devices for contact tracing

- 63% of respondents said they would support the use of heat-sensitive (thermal) cameras in well-populated areas to identify those with high temperatures

The survey was carried out between May and June this year, as the country began to exit COVID-19 lockdown restrictions. The survey also found that 50% of respondents would support the Government's usage of information generated by smartphone or other devices for contact tracing and 63% would support the use of heat sensitive (thermal) cameras in well-populated areas.

Commenting on the report, Harry Goddard, CEO, Deloitte Ireland said: “Technology has provided a huge array of opportunities for individuals, organisations, communities and even governments to adapt to new ways of working and living during the COVID-19 crisis. Despite the challenges associated with the pandemic, technology has increasingly become an integral part of all of our lives, and will continue to have a significant role to play in the fight against COVID-19 at home and across the world.”

In this first of five publications arising from the report, we look at trends in respondents’ digital usage and the impact of the COVID-19 lockdown on device usage.

Device usage

Smartphone ownership in Ireland saw a slight decrease for the second year in a row at 90% (compared to 91% in 2019 and 94% in 2018). This is consistent with trends across Europe. Notably, ownership of standard mobile phones increased by 5% (from 9% in 2019 to 14% in 2020).

Ownership of laptops also saw a slight decrease at 83%, compared to 84% in 2019. Tablet devices saw the biggest year-on-year increase in ownership, from 43% in 2019 to 64% in 2020. There was also an increase in ownership of fitness bands (from 24% to 29%) and virtual reality headsets (from 5% to 8%). Ownership of desktop computers remained the same at 41%.

A third (33%) of all respondents report that they look at their phone within five minutes of waking, an increase of 2% on 2019. 87% look at their phone within the first hour of waking, up 3% on last year. When it comes to the number of times we are checking our phones during the day there were significant differences between age groups: 17% of 18-24-year-olds report checking their phones over 200 times a day: this falls to 10% among the 25-24 bracket; 8% among 35-44s; 7% among 45-54s; and once a day or less among the 55 – 75 age group.

Perception of smartphone usage also varies with age, with younger respondents more likely to feel that they are prone to over-usage. Overall, 46% of respondents feel that they are using their smartphones too much; this rises to 65% of 18-24 year-olds and 66% of 25-34s. The 35-44 and 45-54 age groups are also more likely than average to believe that they overuse their smartphones at 63% and 52% respectively. Meanwhile 37% of 55-64s admitted to overuse, and 32% of 65-75s.

The most popular financial activity carried out on mobile phones is checking bank balances (62%), followed by browsing shopping websites or apps (52%), buying products online (43%) and making banking transactions (41%). This year mobile has replaced laptop as the preferred device for making online purchases among the 18-24 and 35-44 demographics. 26% of all respondents use their mobile phones to make reservations while 16% do their online grocery shopping on mobile.

Daryl Hanberry, Partner and Head of Technology, Media and Telecommunications at Deloitte, said: “While smartphone penetration appears to have plateaued across Europe, our reliance on these devices has not faltered, with almost a third of us now checking our phones more than 50 times a day, and usage rates even higher among younger consumers. As mobiles begin to replace laptops as the preferred device for making online purchases – not just browsing – and especially as remote engagement becomes even more important, businesses must prioritise their mobile offerings or risk being left behind.”

While a total of 91% reported owning a smartphone, these devices are used daily by 93% of all respondents. Daily usage of laptops has increased from 69% to 76% year-on-year, while daily usage of desktop computers is down from 66% to 59%, reflecting the work-from-home mandate that was introduced in March of this year.