As smartphones have allowed consumers to do pretty much anything, the time spent on these devices has been exponentially increasing for a variety of reasons.
According to analysis from Reviews.org, on average in 2025 Americans checked their smartphones nearly 186 times day — or about 11.5 minutes every hour.
Typically, usage of smartphones include:
- Posting and viewing social media
- Watching streaming content
- Checking email
- Checking smart home apps and cameras
- Internet searches
- Texting
- Taking photos
- Shopping
- Navigation
Source: Reviews.org
Usage and habits
Smartphones have long now been used for more than just photography and communication, but more often these devices are becoming a necessity in work and utility.
In fact, the Reviews.org survey found that 72.7% of respondents use their phones at work. And this goes beyond just checking emails or Slack. Smartphones have become a critical tool for those working in industrial sites, business development and even in retail.
Beyond just work, users are spending more time on their phones and less time doing other things. Or using the phone while doing other things. Specifically:
- 87.4% use their phone while watching TV
- 56.4% use their phone while eating dinner
- 67.9% use their phone on the toilet
- 60.7% have texted someone in the same room
- 40.1% use their phone on a date
- 29.3% use their phone while driving
Not surprisingly given this result, three in four respondents feel uneasy leaving the house without their smartphones and more than half of respondents said they have never gone longer than 24 hours without their smartphones.
How habits have changed
Perhaps shockingly, Americans smartphone usage is down from 2024, but the addiction rate has risen. According to Reviews.org this manifests itself in ways like texting someone in the same room, checking phones while exercising or feeling a panic when the phone drops below 20% charge.
One of the possibilities for this may reside in how notifications constantly beep or ping the user. Notifications could be causing users to immediately pick up the phone for fear of something happening or missing out, according to the company.
Source: Reviews.org
Not just young people
The survey results found that while Gen Z and Millennials are generations that enjoy smartphones, they are not the only ones, as Baby Boomers and Gen Xers also spend a considerable amount of screen time on their smartphones.
On average across all generations, Americans spend at least 3 hours on their phones. But the generation that spends the most time? Gen Z.
Interestingly, the survey found that Millennials spend the same time on a computer as they do their smartphone and Gen X are third in phone time, logging about an hour less than Millennials but an hour more than Boomers.
