Story at a glance
- The online survey suggests most Americans believe that smartphones have made their lives better.
- Yet 12 percent said they have made their lives worse to some degree.
- More than 80 percent of adults keep their smartphones on their person at most times, while more than two-thirds say they keep them nearby while asleep.
Smartphone use among all ages has increased significantly in recent years, and most Americans say they use their devices “too much,” a recent Gallup poll found.
The online survey suggests most Americans believe smartphones have made their lives better, while only 12 percent say the ubiquitous machines made their lives worse. Yet 58 percent said they use their smartphones too much — an increase of 19 percent from 2015.
The survey found little change since 2015 in some measurements of attachments, including the finding that almost half of adults say they “can’t imagine” their life without a smartphone. More than 80 percent of adults keep their smartphones on their person at most times, while more than two-thirds say they keep them nearby while asleep.
Overall, more Americans today have smartphones than last time Gallup asked the question, with nearly all adults surveyed saying they have a smartphone — up from 81 percent in 2015.
Age is also a key factor in attachment, according to the Gallup poll, as adults under 50 are more likely to always keep their phones with them and experience anxiety without it.
More than 90 percent of adults under 50 keep their smartphones “near almost all the time during waking hours.” Yet over two-thirds of adults over 65 say they do the same.
Meanwhile, more Americans today rely on their phones to surf the internet and shop online rather than using a computer to perform the same tasks. The largest increase was found in online purchases.
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Yet when compared to computer use, most Americans told Gallup they use their smartphones primarily to interact on social media. This was followed by adults who use their devices to read web content.
Gallups findings are based on a self-administered web survey of 30,000 U.S. adults conducted from January to February.
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