The smartphone penetration rate in the United Kingdom has increased each year, reaching an overall figure of ** percent in 2024. Those aged between ** and ** and ** and ** years recorded the highest smartphone penetration rate. Smartphones are mobile phones that contain an operating system with features of a personal computer. In the late 2000s smartphones started to become much more wide spread. The technological advances that have been made since then are impressive to say the least. New features are available with every new smartphone model that comes out, and the majority of smartphone owners report purchasing a new smartphone because their current device is out of date.Although smartphones have brought the power of information to the general population at their fingertips, they have also brought some negative effects with them. Accidents while driving have been on the rise, although the vast majority of motorists believe it is unacceptable to even take a short look at a phone while driving.

The proportion of smartphone users out of those using a mobile phone in the United Kingdom (UK) increased notably from 2011 to 2024, from less than half in 2011 with 44 percent to 93 percent of mobile phone users using a smartphone in 2024.

Smartphone usage in the United Kingdom has increased across all age ranges since 2012, most noticeably among those aged 55-64 years of age. Whereas just nine percent of mobile phone users aged 55 to 64 years used a smartphone in 2012, this number rose to over 90 percent by 2023 and reached 93 percent in 2024. Smartphones are becoming more accessible As well as becoming more ubiquitous, smartphones are also becoming more accessible. In terms of price, the global average selling price of smartphones has fallen from 336.8 U.S. dollars in 2010, to 276.20 U.S. dollars in 2015. However, estimates available from 2019 predicted that the average selling price of smartphones worldwide will increase again and reach 317 U.S. dollars by 2021. The average selling price for smartphones in Europe was at around 373 euros in 2019. Smartphone usage in the UK Smartphones are the Swiss army knife of digital devices, with their capabilities limited by the creativity of developers as much as it is the technology contained in the phone. In 2017, communications were the most popular ways to use a phone, however, 87 percent of users report using camera apps frequently, 85 percent report frequent use of browser apps, and 68 percent report frequent use of navigation apps.

The number of smartphone users in the United Kingdom was forecast to continuously increase between 2024 and 2029 by in total *** million users (+**** percent). After the ninth consecutive increasing year, the smartphone user base is estimated to reach ***** million users and therefore a new peak in 2029. Notably, the number of smartphone users of was continuously increasing over the past years.Smartphone users here are limited to internet users of any age using a smartphone. The shown figures have been derived from survey data that has been processed to estimate missing demographics.The shown data are an excerpt of Statista's Key Market Indicators (KMI). The KMI are a collection of primary and secondary indicators on the macro-economic, demographic and technological environment in up to *** countries and regions worldwide. All indicators are sourced from international and national statistical offices, trade associations and the trade press and they are processed to generate comparable data sets (see supplementary notes under details for more information).Find more information concerning Denmark and Latvia.

The smartphone penetration in the United Kingdom was forecast to remain on a similar level in 2029 as compared to 2024 with ** percent. According to this forecast, the penetration will stay nearly the same over the forecast period. Notably, the smartphone penetration of was continuously increasing over the past years.The penetration rate refers to the share of the total population. The shown data are an excerpt of Statista's Key Market Indicators (KMI). The KMI are a collection of primary and secondary indicators on the macro-economic, demographic and technological environment in up to *** countries and regions worldwide. All indicators are sourced from international and national statistical offices, trade associations and the trade press and they are processed to generate comparable data sets (see supplementary notes under details for more information).Find more information concerning Estonia and Slovakia.

The share of respondents who use a smartphone in the United Kingdom (UK) has increased across all socio-economic groups in the past years. In 2012, 51 percent of respondents who used a mobile phone in the C2 socio-economic group reported that it was a smartphone, and this proportion increased to over 90 percent in 2024. The share of smartphone usage is highest among the AB socio-economic group with 97 percent reporting to use a smartphone.

Mobile telephones have become increasingly relevant to many aspects of modern life, a phenomenon that is evidenced by the development in the rate of households owning a mobile telephone. Currently, approximately 93 percent of households in the United Kingdom (UK) own a mobile phone. That sits in stark contrast with 2000-2001, when less than half of all households in the UK reported owning a mobile telephone. Smartphones leading the charge Given their role as the digital swiss army knife of modern tech, it is no surprise that smartphones are behind much of the growth in this space. Smartphone adoption reached 78 percent during the first half of 2018, up from 29 percent at the beginning of 2011. Smartphone ownership drops off steeply for users aged 55 or older, with just 55 percent of residents in that age group reporting that they own a smartphone compared with 95 percent of people aged from 16 to 24 and 25 to 34 years of age.   Apple on top The smartphone market is mostly split between iOS and Android, with Apple emerging as the UK’s preferred smartphone manufacturer. In April 2023, the iPhone 14, iPhone 14 Pro, and the iPhone 14 Pro Max claimed 41 percent of the market, taking each of the top three positions. 

In 2024, during a survey conducted in the United Kingdom, it was found that approximately 99 percent of the respondents aged from 25 to 54 years old reported using a mobile phone, as did about 88 percent of the respondents aged over 65 years old. Female and male mobile phone users used mobile phones at almost the same rate, with 95 and 96 percent of mobile phone penetration, respectively.

The share of adults who own a smartphone in the United Kingdom (UK) in 2008 was under ** percent and is reaching total saturation point in 2021, by demographics. The share of respondents aged 16 to 24 years who own a smartphone increased from ** percent in 2008 to ** percent in 2022, an increase from the previous year.

According to a survey of parents and children in the UK conducted in 2024, ** percent of children between 16 and 17 years old owned a smartphone, while ** percent of respondents aged between ***** and **** did not have a mobile phone.

Electronic devices available to children Mobile phones are not the only devices children are exposed to daily. At home, indeed, they have access to all kinds of electronic devices, such as TVs, gaming consoles, and radios. For instance, in 2020, ** percent of children had access to a smart TV, and ** percent had a game console. Furthermore, ** percent of children in the UK had access to a PC, laptop, or netbook with an internet connection. Children’s online activities British children perform many different activities online, with mobile phones being the most used devices to go online. Among the most recurring online activities were playing games and watching videos, especially on YouTube. Furthermore, children in the UK appear to spend quite some time on social media platforms, like TikTok and Snapchat, where they spend on average ** and ** minutes daily, respectively.

In 2024, during a survey in the United Kingdom, it was found that about ** percent of men who owned a mobile phone owned a smartphone. By contrast, this share reached ** percent for women.

This statistic shows the smartphone ownership among children* in United Kingdom (UK) during the period from 2015 to 2019. In general rates of smartphones ownership among children have increased, reaching ** percent in 2019.

This statistic illustrates the amount of people who own or have ready access to a smartphone according to a survey conducted in the United Kingdom (UK). In 2019, ** percent of respondents in the UK owned or had ready access to a smartphone, significant increase from the ** percent seen in 2012.

This statistic displays smartphone ownership in the United Kingdom (UK) within the age group of 35-44 years from 2013 to 2019. In 2019, of respondents aged 35 to 44 years ** percent reported that they owned a smartphone.

In 2024, during a survey in the United Kingdom, it was found that about ** percent of respondents in England who owned a mobile phone owned a smartphone. By contrast, this share reached ** percent in Scotland.

Between 2009 and 2024, the share of internet users in the United Kingdom using a smartphone to go online experienced a constant increase. In 2024, approximately 90 percent of respondents reported using smartphones to browse the internet. Between 2009 and 2023, smartphone usage rate to access the internet grew by over 200 percent.

Mobile phone usage in the United Kingdom has increased by about 14 percentage points in the years from 2005 to 2024. The share of adults using a mobile phone amounted to 96 in 2024, down from 97 percent recorded in 2023.

This statistic presents shows smartphone owners in the United Kingdom (UK) from 2012 to 2014, sorted by age group. In 2014, 58 percent of 45 to 64 year-olds owned a smartphone. In total, 63 percent of the UK population owned a smartphone in 2014.

In a May 2022 survey, around ** percent of respondents in the United Kingdom (UK) had a ** service on their smartphone, remaining the most popular form of mobile internet connection, while about ** percent of respondents had a ** service. ** mobile connections became available for some mobile phones in the UK in 2019, and have seen an increase in UK usage.

According to a survey conducted in the United Kingdom between July 2023 and June 2024, ** percent of Gen Z respondents had a smartphone. By contrast, only ** percent of them owned a digital camera.