Top 10 smartphone uses: New consumer report reveals why we're at the point of no return [EmpowerQ]

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Remember having to sit in front of your old personal computer just to print out directions from MapQuest, or to chat with pals on AOL Instant Messenger? Today, we use smartphones to do these things — and a whole lot more. Smartphones are as essential as our wallets and keys since rapid advancements in mobile technology ensure we hardly go anywhere without them. 

It’s easy to forget there once was a time when using smartphones and other mobile devices wasn’t an everyday necessity. In fact, just a decade ago, we investigated how, exactly, consumers were using these devices. Studies at the time revealed that searching for information, reading news and entertainment, and participating in social media were among the top uses for smartphone and tablet users. But as mobile technology has evolved, has user behavior changed along with it?

The short answer is “yes.” Let’s break it down.

People use smartphones to access the internet

Having a wealth of information from the internet in the palm of our hands is arguably a mobile device’s most useful asset, which is why internet searching and web browsing are now the number one activities among users. Social media engagement is also still holding strong among today’s top smartphone uses — but that’s just about where the similarities between then and now end. 

Fast-forward a decade: From October to November 2022, Qualcomm Technologies, Inc. surveyed more than 60,000 smartphone users across the world and compiled an updated top ten list of smartphone activities. The top 5 uses of a smartphone are:

1. Internet search/web browsing

2. Phone calls

3. Listening to music

4. Using social media apps

5. Sharing/sending photos and videos

Making phone calls ranks as the second top smartphone use, which should come as no surprise since that and web browsing are the two primary functions of smartphone devices. But the most noteworthy revolution in mobile device usage is the ability to listen to music, as well as capturing photos and video. Who would have thought that mobile devices would one day replace mp3 players and point-and-shoot cameras? Technology advancements that drive camera quality on smartphones have improved significantly over the past decade and are a key purchasing factor for consumers in the market for a new device. 

Additionally, seamless connectivity has also risen to the top of influencing purchasing factors. Our study shows that 5G is one of the top features of a smartphone that users evaluate when shopping for new smartphones, so they can maintain connectivity and high-speed performance without dropping calls or missing text messages.

Lack of a strong and consistent connection to the internet was among one of the top frustrations for mobile device users back in 2012. Luckily, 5G is now an industry standard among mobile devices, and with ongoing innovations toward 5G Advanced and beyond, users are promised robust processing and superior connectivity no matter what device they’re using.

The top 5 unexpected uses for mobile phones

Additional benefits to owning a smartphone that are becoming ubiquitous today are things we didn’t think were possible a decade ago. Our research also shows that smartphones today enable a frictionless lifestyle, meaning that many otherwise tangible or face-to-face interactions can now all be done on a mobile device. Rounding out the top ten uses for smartphone activities, we found the following: 

6. Banking

7. Shopping

8. Global positioning system/navigation/location-based services

9. Video calls

10. Payment apps

Sure, smartphones today may be as vital as our keys and wallets but in many cases, smartphones have replaced these items altogether — many people don’t even carry cash these days. This is because thanks to digital wallets and third-party payment applications, we can transfer and receive money or pay for our shopping trips seamlessly through our devices. Smartphones are even used in place of physical keys as the ability to lock and unlock doors, start cars, and more are becoming commonplace features.

So, which is preferred: smartphones or tablets?

It depends. As noted in our previous findings, consumers tend to favor one over the other depending on the type of activity. Watching videos, for example, might be preferable on a tablet due to its larger screen, whereas on-the-go activities like taking photos or banking are more convenient on a compact device. Interestingly, a preference for smartphones seems to take the lead in the mobile device market. In 2021, Insider Intelligence reported that U.S. smartphone penetration had risen to more than 85%, while tablet ownership remained stable at just over half of the population. Today, Datareportal finds that three times as many internet users aged 16 to 64 own a smartphone over a tablet and as a result, 91% of devices used to access the internet are smartphones, while less than 30% of those devices are tablets.

Whether you reach for your smartphone every day, or you are loyal to your tablet, many mobile apps tend to be the same regardless of what device you’re using. In fact, these two device types are becoming more in sync, especially considering how they’re becoming integrated with newer technologies such as smart watches, virtual reality headsets, smart homes, cars, and more to create a whole ecosystem of connected devices. 

If there’s anything these new statistics show about consumer smartphone and tablet usage, it’s that not only are mobile technology advancements evolving at a rapid pace, but so are the many ways we rely on our mobile devices in everyday life — and it’s up to us to keep up.

* as of April 2023