UK mobile phone statistics, 2025

This page is full of mobile phone statistics for 2025, covering mobile phone ownership, usage, and opinions.

Written by Nick Baker, Senior Editor

Updated on 14 August 2025

Feature image with title UK mobile phone statistics and a couple looking at a mobile phone on the sofa.

Smartphones have become commonplace since the late 2000s, with more than nine in ten (93%) UK mobile users now owning a smartphone, as of 2024. However, the origin of these devices can be traced back to the early 1990s.

Our research allows us to compare mobile data over time and analyse trends to judge how UK mobile statistics have evolved in recent years.

Top 10 UK mobile phone statistics 2025

In 2024, 100% of UK adults aged 16-24 had a smartphone, according to Statista.
In 2023, 89% of people used their mobiles to go online, compared to 28% in 2009.
Over a third (34%) of people used their mobiles for gaming in 2024, down from 37% in 2021.
Between Q4 2023 and Q4 2024, the total number of minutes spent making phone calls on a mobile in the UK decreased by 7.7%.
In Q4 2024, the number of active UK mobile subscriptions was over 88 million.
As of 2024, 61% of children aged 8-11 own a smartphone in the UK.
Data from 2024 shows that nearly one in 20 (4.7%) adults with a mobile play Candy Crush Saga.
Men were more likely to use Android devices than iOS in 2024 (51% vs 48%), whereas women were more likely to use iOS (55% vs 44%)
The Google Play Store is the most popular app on Android phones, with a reach of 95%.
92% of iOS phones have WhatsApp, compared to 88% of Android devices.

UK mobile phone user statistics

At the start of 2025, there were 88.4 million cellular mobile connections in the UK, equivalent to 127% of the UK population. This is likely because many people will have more than one connection registered to them (i.e., personal and work phones). However, recent figures represent a fall of around 68,000 (-0.08%) from early 2024.

As of 2024, 96% of the UK population were mobile phone users, equivalent to more than 66 million people.

The percentage of UK adults who use a smartphone by age, 2020-2024

A comparative bar chart showing the percentage of people who own a smartphone by year and age.

Mobile phone user statistics show that as of 2024, 100% of adults aged 16-24 in the UK use a smartphone. Among the older age groups, 93% of those aged 55-64 owned a smartphone device, compared to just over three-quarters (77%) of those aged 65 and above.

These figures have increased dramatically since 2012, when only 86% of 16 to 24-year-olds had a smartphone. At that time, only 3% of people in the 65+ age bracket owned a smartphone, compared to 75% of 25-34-year-olds.

UK mobile subscribers statistics

From the turn of the millennium, UK mobile subscriber numbers steadily increased from just over 43.5 million in 2000 to a peak of 79 million in 2020 (+82%).

A breakdown of UK mobile cellular subscriptions over time (1990-2024)

Line graph showing the number of UK mobile cellular subscriptions over time.

At the end of 2023, the number of active UK mobile subscriptions was 84.3 million. This was an increase of over 3% from 2022 and the highest annual figure to date. At the same time, the number of dedicated mobile broadband subscriptions also increased to 4.82 million in Q4 2023.

The number of mobile subscriptions has grown further since the Statista study, with Ofcom revealing that the number stood at 88.9 million in Q4 2024. This represents a rise of over 5% from Statista’s 2023 figures but a year-on-year fall of 0.3% from Ofcom’s Q4 2023 data.

Total UK mobile cellular subscriptions per 100 inhabitants over time, 2000-2022

An area graph showing a breakdown of mobile subscriptions per 100 inhabitants over time.

When broken down by population, there were 73.84 mobile phone subscriptions per 100 UK inhabitants in 2000, rising to a peak of nearly 122.90 in 2009. By 2020, this dropped to 117.82 mobile phone subscriptions per 100 people before increasing to around 118.57 by 2021.

The latest figure of 120.80 for 2022 marks a rise of roughly 1.9% from the previous year, and the first time numbers have exceeded 120 since 2019.

UK mobile contract cost statistics

When choosing a mobile phone it is vital to consider how expensive the contract might be. And there are many factors that can affect the average cost of a customer’s mobile phone contract, such as:

The type of phone they own
The provider their contract is with
Where in the country they are located.

To find out which cities spend the most on mobile data, check out our mobile data calculator.

Average phone contract price based on type of phone

Typically, Google’s Pixel 9 Pro Fold has the highest average mobile contract price in the UK. With an average monthly contract cost of £65.40 among Uswitch users, the Pixel 9 Pro Fold is over 5% more expensive than any other device.

The second most expensive phone, and the most expensive Samsung on our list, is the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6, with an average monthly cost of £62 between 2024 and 2025. This is over 6% more than the next highest device, making the Z Fold 6 the only other phone with an average monthly cost above £60.

The top 10 mobile phones with the most expensive average mobile phone bill

Phone name	Average monthly cost
Google Pixel 9 Pro Fold	£65.40
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6	£62
Apple iPhone 16 Pro Max	£58.40
Sony Xperia 1 VI	£56
Apple iPhone 15 Pro Max	£55.80
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5	£55.40
Apple iPhone 11 Pro	£52.90
Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra	£52.50
Google Pixel Fold	£52.10
Apple iPhone 16 Pro	£48.60

(Source: Uswitch)

The iPhone 16 Pro Max is the most expensive Apple phone on our list, with an average monthly cost of £58.40. This is over 4% more than the Sony Xperia 1 VI and the third most expensive contract.

Within the top 10 most expensive mobile phone contracts, 40% are iPhones, and an additional 30% are Samsung devices.

Paying too much for your mobile phone contract? Look to compare cheap mobile phones to see how we can save you money.

A breakdown of the 10 mobile phones with the lowest average contract cost

Phone name	Average monthly cost
Samsung Galaxy A15	£13.30
Apple iPhone 8	£13.90
Samsung Galaxy A14	£14.30
Samsung Galaxy A05s	£14.40
Apple iPhone SE (2nd generation)	£14.90
Apple iPhone XR	£15.40
Honor 90 Lite	£15.70
Honor Magic4 Lite 5g	£16.10
Google Pixel 7a	£16.90
Apple iPhone SE	£17.50

(Source: Uswitch)

The mobile with the lowest average mobile phone bill was the Samsung Galaxy A15. Released in December 2023, the A15 had an average monthly cost of just £13.30 between May 2024 and May 2025, making it one of the best phones for value. This was over five times less than what users of the most expensive Samsung, Apple, and Google phones paid.

The least expensive Apple phone from our study is the iPhone 8, at £13.90 per month. This was nearly 3% less than the Samsung Galaxy A14 and the only other phone with an average monthly cost below £14.

The list of the top 10 cheapest mobiles includes two Honor phones, as well as the Google Pixel 7a. With an average monthly cost of £16.90 per month, the Pixel 7a was around four times less than Google’s Pixel 9 Pro Fold, on average.

Average phone contract price based on service provider

The service provider with the highest average phone contract among Uswitch customers between 2024 and 2025 was Tesco Mobile. Tesco’s average monthly contract cost stood at just over £62.80, which was around 49% more than the next highest provider.

The second most expensive is Sky Mobile, with users typically paying £42.18 per month, around 10% more than Vodafone customers.

The average mobile phone contract cost by provider

Provider	Average monthly cost
Talkmobile	£19.87
iD Mobile	£34.54
Three	£35.92
O2	£37.12
Vodafone	£38.39
Sky Mobile	£42.18
Tesco Mobile	£62.81

(Source: Uswitch)

At the other end of the scale, Talkmobile had by far the lowest average contract cost, at just £19.87. This was around 42% less than the next lowest provider (iD Mobile) and 46% less than O2.

If you feel that you're paying too much for your costly mobile phone contract, then it’s worth checking out our How to switch mobile phone provider guide.

Average phone contract cost by data allowance

Recent mobile statistics show that users with unlimited data phone contracts pay the highest monthly fees, on average. With a typical contract cost of £38.91 among Uswitch customers, those with unlimited data paid around 13% more than any other data plan.

The average monthly mobile phone contract cost by data package

Data package	Average monthly cost
Unlimited	£38.91
100GB to Unlimited	£34.46
40GB to 60GB	£26.51
20GB to 40GB	£23.02
0GB to 20GB	£34.31
80GB to 100GB	£26.12
60GB to 80GB	£17.86

(Source: Uswitch)

At the other end of the scale, those on contracts with between 60GB and 80GB of data paid the lowest average fees, at just under £18 per month – less than half the amount of those on unlimited data.

Interestingly, those on plans with between 0GB and 20GB of data paid over £16 more than those on 60-80GB plans, on average. This suggests that users on 0-20GB plans typically opt for more expensive phones than those on 60-80GB contracts.

Mobile phone usage statistics

Smartphones have multiple uses and functions. From using search engines to checking emails, from accessing social networks to contacting friends and family, consumers around the world spend time on their mobile phones on various activities.

A recent Uswitch Screen time report found that UK adults spend half of every day in front of a screen, with overall screen time increasing by two hours since the start of 2020.

UK mobile phone usage statistics: Phone calls

According to Ofcom, mobile-originated voice call minutes decreased by 7.7% to 38.62 billion minutes in Q4 2024, compared to Q3 2023. In the same period, mobile phone statistics show that landline calls decreased by 11.3%, to 6.55 billion minutes.

In 2024, mobile phone usage statistics show that the volume of on-net UK mobile calls sat at just under 48 billion minutes. However, off-net mobile calls occupied the majority of calls, with over 75.5 billion minutes (a decline of over two billion minutes from 2023). Q4 2024 alone amounted to nearly 11.9 billion on-net calls and 18.6 billion off-net calls.

Overall, the number of minutes people in the UK are spending making phone calls is down compared to 2023, decreasing by nearly 23%.

Total mobile phone usage by types of phone calls and messages in the UK

Area graph showing the quantity of calls and messages made in the UK by year.

The number of UK international calls has decreased, from a peak of 7.93 billion minutes in 2013 to just over 1.4 billion in 2024. This could be due to several factors, such as cost, plus the advancement of Wi-Fi technologies around the world, which make it easier and more convenient to call without the additional charges. Apps (such as Zoom, WhatsApp, and FaceTime) make it possible to see the person you’re talking to without having to directly pay for it, which is an added benefit for many people.

Another key mobile phone fact is that there has been a dramatic decrease in text messaging in recent years. Over 100 billion texts were sent annually between 2009 and 2015. However, since then, the number has rapidly dropped year-on-year, to 36.63 billion in 2022 and then below 32 billion in 2023. By 2024, the number of texts sent per year fell to just under 28 billion – a year-on-year drop of nearly 12%.

Again, this can be attributed to the rise of online alternatives, such as WhatsApp and Facebook Messenger, for contacting people.

Frequency of mobile phone usage statistics

In 2023, UK mobile phone users spent an average of 3.49 hours per day on their devices. This represents a decrease of 0.65 hours from the previous year and the first annual drop since before 2019.

A 2021 Ofcom survey found numerous key statistics relating to smartphone usage in the UK, including:

People in the UK check their smartphones, on average, every 12 minutes of the waking day.
Two in five adults (40%) look at their phone within five minutes of waking up.
This figure reaches 65% for those aged 35 and under.
Similarly, 37% of adults check their phone five minutes before going to sleep.
For under-35s, this figure rises to 60%.

A breakdown of how often males and females use their mobile phones to make calls

A horizontal bar chart showing how often males and females use their mobile phone to make calls.

Mobile phone stats covering frequency of mobile phone usage show a relatively even split between males and females. In 2019, males were slightly more likely to use their mobiles to make several calls a day, with almost half (49%) doing this compared to 46% of females. However, less than a quarter (24%) of females claimed to make daily calls compared to a fifth (21%) of males. Only 1% of males and 1% of females surveyed admitted to never using their mobile phones to make calls.

UK mobile phone usage statistics by internet access

Between 2009 and 2023, the percentage of UK internet smartphone users more than tripled. Just over a quarter (28%) used their smartphone to go online in 2009, with this number climbing to 45% by 2011, before surpassing three-quarters (77%) by 2016.

The percentage of people who use their smartphone to go online, 2009-2023

A line graph showing the percentage of people who use their mobile to go online by year.

By 2023, nearly nine in ten (89%) people using mobile phones did so to access the internet. This is three percentage points higher than the previous year (86%) and nearly double the total from 2011 (45%).

UK smartphone usage statistics by age

Mobile phone statistics show that, in 2023, under a fifth (17%) of internet users accessed the internet exclusively from their smartphone. This is four percentage points lower than the total in 2021, which stood at 21%, and slightly less than in 2022 (18%).

When broken down into age groups, a fifth of those aged 55-64 only accessed the internet via their smartphone, the most of any age group. Conversely, only 14% of the over-65s accessed the web solely on their smartphones.

The percentage of internet users who only go online via their smartphone by age

Group	% of internet users
16-24	18%
25-34	19%
35-44	18%
45-54	16%
55-64	20%
65+	17%

(Source: Ofcom)

People from lower socioeconomic backgrounds were more likely to access the internet exclusively on their smartphones, with 31% of those in the lowest group (DE) doing so compared to just 7% in the highest group (AB).

Women were also more likely than men to be smartphone-only internet users, with a fifth (20%) falling in this category, six percentage points more than men (14%).

The UK’s digital population by device and age group

A comparative bar chart showing the percentage of internet users by device and age.

As of March 2021, the UK digital population accounted for approximately 40 million unique users on smartphones, compared to 21.6 million tablet users and 30.4 million desktop users.

The over-55s dominate the different age groups, with 10.6 million unique smartphone users, compared to just 5.3 million for those aged 18-24.

UK mobile phone use statistics by operating system

UK mobile phone statistics show that over two-thirds (69%) of mobile users aged between 16-24 use an Apple iOS device, compared to just 31% who use Android. IOS is also the most popular platform among 25-35 year olds, with three-fifths (60%) in this age group using a phone of this kind.

The proportion of smartphone users with iPhones and Android phones by age

A horizontal bar chart showing the percentage of Android and iOS mobile phone users by age.

Android usage overtakes iOS in the older age groups, with 35-44 year olds being the youngest category with more Android users than iOS (50% vs 49%). The percentage of Android users climbs to 53% for 45-54 year olds before reaching a peak of 55% for those aged 65 and over.

By contrast, just over two-fifths (42%) of mobile phone users in the oldest age category use an iOS device – the lowest of any age group.

The proportion of smartphone users with iPhones and Android phones by gender

A horizontal bar chart showing the percentage of Android and iOS mobile phone users by gender.

Recent UK mobile phone statistics show that men are more likely to use Android smartphones, while iOS usage is more common among women. Just over half (51%) of male smartphone owners use an Android device, compared to 48% who use an iOS-powered phone.

Conversely, 55% of women smartphone owners use iOS devices, compared to 44% on Android.

The most popular mobile apps by operating system

When comparing the most-used apps by operating system, YouTube is more popular on Android devices than iPhones.

YouTube can be found on 77% of Android phones, compared to just 62% of iPhones. In contrast, WhatsApp is used on 92% of iPhones, but only 88% of their Android counterparts.

Google Play Store is the most popular app on Android, with a usage rate of 95%, with WhatsApp being the most common app on iOS (92%).

Google Play, Google Search, Gmail, and YouTube all come pre-installed on Android devices, whereas Apple Weather and Apple Maps are the only pre-installed apps on iPhones. This could account for their respective high reach percentages.

The most popular mobile phone applications among Android and iPhone users

A horizontal bar chart showing the most used mobile phone applications on Android and iOS.

Mobile phone OS statistics revealed that six of the top 10 apps on Android are owned by Alphabet, and three are owned by Meta, compared to two and four, respectively, on iPhones.

When comparing figures from 2019, WhatsApp has seen its reach increase by 24 percentage points on and 47 percentage points on iPhones.

Conversely, Snapchat was the second most used iPhone app in 2019, with 81% of users having the social media app, yet now it’s dropped out of the top ten, meaning fewer than 50% of iPhone users have the app.

UK mobile market statistics revealed that half of all phones sold in the UK are made by Apple.

What is the most popular mobile network provider in the UK?

Over a quarter (26%) of UK mobile phone users were on EE in 2022 – the most of any network. This was seven percentage points more than any other provider, making EE the only one used by more than 20% of mobile phone users.

The most used UK mobile network providers, 2022

A doughnut chart showing the most used UK mobile network providers in 2022

02 had the next highest market share, at 19% – four percentage points more than third-placed Vodafone. This meant that the three biggest networks were responsible for three-fifths (60%) of the UK mobile phone market, combined.

Rounding off the top five were Three and Tesco Mobile, with totals of 9% and 7%, respectively.

It’s worth noting that, on 31 May 2025, a merger was completed between Vodafone and Three, with the companies vowing to invest £11 billion in their operations over the next decade.

As such, it’s likely that Vodafone and Three’s combined market share will be significantly higher in the coming years, compared to the individual figures represented in this data.

iPhone statistics

With over 230 million global sales in 2023, Apple’s iPhone is unquestionably the most popular mobile phone brand in the world. As of May 2025, iPhone sales accounted for over a quarter (26.92%) of the global mobile phone market, over four percentage points more than second-placed Samsung (22.92%).

How much of the UK mobile phone market is occupied by iPhones?

The latest mobile phone statistics revealed that iPhones are by far the most popular mobile phone brand in the UK, accounting for around half (49.92%) of the market in May 2025. This is more than 18 percentage points more than second-placed Samsung, which had a market share of less than a third (31.89%).

This means that, combined, iPhones and Samsung devices account for over four-fifths of the entire UK mobile phone market.

UK mobile phone market share by brand, May 2025

A doughnut chart showing the mobile phone brands with the largest UK market share in May 2025.

Google had the third biggest market share at just over a twentieth, followed by Motorola (2.99%). These were the final companies with a total exceeding 2%, meaning the four biggest brands have a combined market share of over 90%.

At the other end of the scale, pioneering mobile brand Nokia held a market share of just 0.65%, down from 8.42% in May 2010.

How has iPhone’s mobile phone market share changed over time?

Since their first release in 2007, iPhones have had a strong presence in the UK mobile phone industry, commanding of market share of over 40% every year between 2010 and 2025. After a market share of nearly 53% in May 2010, iPhone’s share fell below 45% the following year and then to 43.22% by May 2012.

After surpassing 48% in 2013, the brand’s market share fluctuated over the next seven years before exceeding 50% in 2020.

iPhone UK mobile phone market share by year, May 2010 to May 2025

A line graph showing iPhone's market share of the UK mobile phone industry between 2010 and 2025.

After reaching 55.98% in May 2023, iPhone's market share fell by over seven percentage points a year later (48.23%) before recovering slightly in May 2025 (49.92%).

The latest figures mean that iPhone has continually been the biggest UK mobile phone brand for nearly 14 years, with August 2011 being the last time another brand commanded a higher market share (Blackberry, 43.57%).

What do people use their mobile phones for?

When Marty Cooper made the first mobile phone call in 1973, he couldn’t even imagine how technology would evolve. His goal was that the mobile phone would be ‘something that would represent an individual, so you could assign a number not to a place, not to a desk, not to a home, but to a person.’

We’ve gone far beyond that now. Mobile phones are more than just a tool for calls and messages, but a camera, newspaper, and gaming device all rolled into one.

How long do people spend online on their smartphones?

According to Ofcom’s 2024 Online Nation Report, approximately 47.4 million UK adults accessed the internet across smartphones, tablets, or desktop devices. The average adult spends four hours and 20 minutes online per day.

Every age group spent significantly more time online via their smartphones than on other devices. The biggest difference could be seen among 18-24 year olds who spent an average of four hours and 37 minutes online via their smartphones per day, compared to just 39 minutes on a tablet and 46 minutes on a desktop.

The same mobile phone statistics revealed that the average UK mobile user had 38 apps on their smartphone as of May 2024.

Most popular apps in the UK

The top 10 social media mobile phone applications by adult reach in the UK

A table graphic showing the top 10 most used social media mobile apps among UK adults in 2023-24.

In May 2023, Facebook (including Messenger) was the most popular social media app across all UK mobile devices, reaching 45 million adults across the UK. However, by May 2024, the Meta-owned site had been dethroned, with YouTube now the most popular app, with 44.5 million users (94% of the online adult population).

At the same time, Facebook’s reach fell around 2% to 43.6 million, equating to just over nine tenths (91%) of the online adult population.

The third most popular social media app in 2024 was Instagram. In all, 76% of adults used the app, a growth of around 4% from the year before and equating to 36.1 million people.

The fourth most used social media app is TikTok, with just over half (51%) of adult mobile users having the app. This is largely down to a year-on-year growth of nearly three million users that took the Chinese-owned app to 24 million adult users.

X, formerly known as Twitter, saw the biggest fall of all apps in the top 10. The Elon Musk-owned site lost nearly two million adult (-8%) users between May 2023 and May 2024, resulting in it being replaced by Reddit in the top five.

Mobile e-commerce accounts for almost three-quarters (73%) of total retail commerce in the UK. In 2022, the number of unique UK visitors to Amazon websites on mobile devices exceeded 44 million. This was the most visited online shopping app of 2022, followed by eBay (with over 25 million) and Apple (at just over 23 million).

UK mobile phone use statistics for accessing the news

As of February 2022, 64% of respondents from a YouGov survey used their smartphone to access the news.

From 2012, the percentage of people using their phones to access the news steadily increased, from 28% to a peak of 68% in 2021.

The percentage of people in the UK who prefer to access the news from their smartphones

Year	% of respondents who prefer to access the news from their smartphone
2012	28
2013	29
2014	33
2015	42
2016	46
2017	49
2018	56
2019	63
2020	62
2021	68
2022	64

(Source: YouGov)

Mobile phone news statistics suggest that the percentage of people using their mobile phones for news may now be in decline. According to the University of Oxford, news consumption via smartphones fell by four percentage points between 2021 to 2022.

UK mobile phone use statistics for online gaming

In 2023, around 257 billion apps were downloaded across the globe – up 12% from 2021 (230 billion). By 2029, it’s expected that the global revenue from app downloads will exceed £580 billion, according to mobile phone stats from Statista.

The percentage of people who play games on their mobile devices, 2009-2024

A line graph showing the percentage of mobile users who have played video games on their mobile devices by year.

A 2024 Statista survey found that over a third (34%) of respondents had played games on their mobile devices, unchanged from 2023 but down from 37% in 2021.

Considering that, in 2009, only 6% of mobile users had played games, this is a significant rise over the previous 13 years (28 percentage points).

Total consumer spending on mobile games, 2011-2024

An area graph showing the total UK consumer spending on mobile games by year.

In May 2024, 75% of UK adults spent their time online using a smartphone.

That year also saw UK consumer spending on online gaming exceed £1.7 billion, marking a rise of over 13% from the previous year and the highest annual total on record.

Despite a brief decline between 2020 and 2022, total spending on online games has soared since 2011, when it stood at just £158 million. After surpassing $1 billion for the first time in 2017, UK spending on online gaming has continued to climb, with 2023 being the first year figures surpassed 1.5 billion.

The latest figure means that spending on online gaming is over 10 times more in 2024 (+992%) than in 2011.

What age groups use their mobile phones for gaming the most?

According to mobile phone facts from Statista, over a third (34%) of UK smartphone users use their mobile phones for online gaming. When broken down by age, those aged 18-24 were the biggest mobile gamers, with over half (52%) of mobile users in this age group playing games, three percentage points more than those aged 25-34 (49%).

The percentage of people who use their mobiles for gaming by age and gender

	Total	16-24	25-34	35-44	45-54	55-64	65+	Men	Women
% who use mobile for gaming	34%	52%	49%	43%	39%	26%	12%	33%	36%

(Source: Statista)

Over a third (34%) of UK smartphone users utilise their mobile phones for online gaming. When broken down by age, those aged 18-24 were the biggest mobile gamers, with over half (52%) of mobile users in this age group playing games – three percentage points more than those aged 25-34 (49%).

The percentage of mobile users playing games drops progressively with each age group, with those aged 65 and over having the lowest total, at just 12%. This was over four times lower than both 18-24 year olds and those aged 25 to 34.

When broken down by gender, women were more likely to use their mobile phones to play games in the UK compared to men (36% vs 33%) in 2024. However, men were more likely to play games on a console (32% vs 16%) and had more online gamers overall (69% vs 57%).

A 2024 survey from Ofcom found that women were more likely to opt for a game based on puzzles or quizzes than men, while men were more likely to play shooter, sport, or action and adventure games.

What are the most popular types of mobile games in the UK?

Puzzle, trivia, and word games are the most popular option for the UK adult online population, with 58% opting for this type of game. Just under a third play card games and action/adventure-based games, with a respective 31% and 30%.

A breakdown of the popularity of different types of mobile phone games in the UK

A radial bar chart showing the popularity of different types of mobile phone games in the UK.

Strategy games are the least preferred gaming option for smartphone users, at 22%, followed by world builder games (24%).

A breakdown of competitive and cooperative game play on mobile phones and games consoles across different age groups in the UK

A horizontal bar chart showing the percentage of games by age, gender, game type, and device.

When comparing competitive and cooperative online gaming, the figures are fairly similar across mobile and gaming consoles.

For competitive play, less than half (46%) of online gamers prefer mobile devices, compared to 51% for consoles. For cooperative play, the corresponding values are 45% and 50%, respectively.

Males tend to play more online games compared to females, with 54% competitive play and 52% cooperative play compared to 38% for both types of games for females.

The most dominant age group in mobile online gaming is 13-15, with 62% for competitive gaming and 61% for cooperative gaming.

Generally, as the age groups increase, the percentage of people playing online games decreases. Just 13% of those aged 55-64 play mobile competitive play, with 14% for cooperative mobile play.

In almost all categories across all age groups, consoles outweigh mobile as the preferred platform to play online games. The two exceptions are those aged 35-44 for competitive play (tied at 46% for both mobile and console) and those aged 25-34 for cooperative play (tied at 57% for both).

The top 10 most popular gaming apps for UK mobile phones

A top trumps graphic showcasing the most popular mobile games.

Candy Crush Saga is the most popular gaming app on UK mobile devices, with 2.23 million users in May 2024 (4.7% of the online adult population). Despite a fall of 305,000 users from the previous year, the tile-matching video game was the only one with more than two million users.

By comparison, Roblox sits in second place, with 1.9 million visits in May 2024 (4% of the online adult population). Released in 2006, the game creation platform

has become a mainstay for mobile and desktop users worldwide thanks to its user-generated content and multi-player accessibility.

Royal Match sits in third place, with the Dream Games published puzzle game commanding a total adult reach of 1.88 million. Rounding off the top five are Pokémon Go and Monopoly Go, with 1.72 million and 1.71 million users, respectively.

If you can’t get enough of Candy Crush Saga or any of the other apps mentioned and are considering buying a new mobile, then check out our best gaming phones page.

Children's mobile phone statistics

Research by Ofcom’s 2024 Children’s and Parents’ Media Literacy Tracker shows that smartphones are the most popular way for children aged 5-15 to access the internet (71%, compared to 63% for tablet devices).

The percentage of children who use mobile phones to go online, 2023

A proportional circles chart showing the percentage of children that use mobile phones to go online by age.

There is, however, significant variation between different age groups. As children get older, they are increasingly likely to use a smartphone to go online, from 43% of 3-7-year-olds to 97% of those aged 16 to 17.

The percentage of UK children who own a mobile phone by age

A pictograph showing the percentage of children who own a mobile phone by age.

By the ages of 8 to 11, over three in five children (61%) possess their own smartphones, compared to just over a quarter (26%) of those aged 5 to 7.

Mobile phone statistics indicate that more than 19 in 20 (96%) children aged 12 to 15 own a smartphone, with this number rising to 99% for those aged 16-17.

If your child has a smartphone, our mobile phone safety guide outlines ways you can keep your child safe while using their smartphone. Alternatively, if you’re considering buying a phone for your child then visit our page listing the best mobile phones for kids.

Uswitch.com mobile phone survey (September 2022)

We polled 2,012 mobile phone users over the age of 16 in the UK to find out what network provider, device, and network they use, as well as their mobile phone usage, habits, and experiences of using a mobile device, and more.

Most common network providers among Uswitch survey respondents

Network provider	Percentage
EE	22.42%
O2	17.50%
Vodafone	12.48%
Three	9.24%
Virgin mobile	7.80%
Sky mobile	7.06%
Tesco mobile	6.76%
GiffGaff	4.77%
Other, please specify	4.08%
BT mobile	3.08%
ID mobile	2.39%
Plusnet mobile	1.14%
Talk mobile	0.89%
Unsure/don't know	0.40%

(Source: Uswitch survey, September 2022)

According to our study, EE is the most popular network provider in the UK, with over 22%, followed by O2 (17.5% of respondents) and Vodafone (just over 12%).

The remaining providers each occupied less than 10% of the number of respondents. Over 95% of people surveyed were supplied by one of the top 12 companies in the country.

How reliable is your general network service on your mobile phone?

Network	Percentage
Excellent	35.70%
Good	46.90%
Satisfactory/fair	15.00%
Bad	2.10%
Unsure	0.40%

(Source: Uswitch, September 2022. 2,000 respondents)

Of the 2,012 people surveyed, only 2% stated that they received a bad network service from their provider. Over 80% were extremely satisfied, with almost half (47%) stating their level of service was good, and nearly 36% claiming it was excellent. Just under 15% were satisfied with their network and claimed it was an acceptable standard.

How satisfied are you with your network provider as a whole?

Level of satisfaction	Percentage
Very satisfied	32.10%
Satisfied	47.00%
Neither dissatisfied nor satisfied	13.40%
Dissatisfied	3.80%
Very dissatisfied	3.80%

(Source: Uswitch, September 2022. 2,000 respondents)

In terms of general service as a whole, 79% of people were either satisfied or very satisfied with their provider. Over 7% were not pleased with the service they received from their mobile network. 13% were on the fence and did not express a positive or negative response.

How often do you change your mobile phone?

Frequency of change	Percentage
More often than every year, please specify in months	0.30%
Every year	6.20%
Every two years	38.00%
Every three years	30.80%
More than every three years, please specify in years	3.40%
I have never changed my phone	1.50%
I only change it when absolutely necessary (e.g. if broken)	18.30%
Unsure/don't know	1.50%

(Source: Uswitch, September 2022. 2,000 respondents)

Mobile phone statistics indicate that 38% of people update their phone every two years, with a further 30.8% changing it every three years. More than 18% stated that they only change their mobile when it is absolutely necessary, while only 6% change on an annual basis.

What would be your reasons for changing your mobile phone device?

Reason	Percentage
Lower cost of device/plan	51.20%
Promotional bundles	26.60%
More innovative hardware	22.30%
Cashback deals	21.50%
There is no specific reason that would influence my decision to change my phone	20.30%
Warranty/aftercare	13.20%
Sustainability/recycling scheme	13.10%
Other, please specify	2.70%

(Source: Uswitch, September 2022. 2,000 respondents)

Mobile users have various reasons for changing their device. For some it is a matter of routine, for others it only occurs when their current mobile is beyond repair.

Statistics show that:

Over half of those surveyed (51%) claimed that they only change their device or mobile plan due to being offered a cheaper mobile phone deal, with more than a quarter (26%) are tempted to change due to a promotional bundle offer.
One in five consumers claimed they wanted to upgrade their phone to one that is more efficient, especially if offered a cashback deal on their old device.
20% stated there was no specific reason that would cause them to change their phone.
13% claimed that they would purchase a new mobile phone device or plan by claiming on their warranty or through a recycling scheme.

How many hours a day do you spend on your mobile device?

Length of time	Percentage	Number of respondents
Less than an hour, please specify in minutes	3.70%	75
1-2 hours	21.00%	422
3-4 hours	32.20%	648
5-6 hours	22.90%	460
7-8 hours	10.20%	206
9-10 hours	7.10%	143
More than 10 hours, please specify in hours	0.50%	9
Unsure	2.40%	49

(Source: Uswitch, September 2022. 2,000 respondents)

When comparing mobile phone usage, nearly one third (32%) of people spend 3-4 hours a day on their mobile phones, followed by nearly 23% who said they spend between 5-6 hours.

One in five people spend 1-2 hours a day on their devices, with 10% opting for 7-8 hours of screen time.

Less than 4% spend under an hour, compared to 7% who spend between 9-10 hours a day on their phones. Nine people out of the 2,012 surveyed admitted to spending over 10 hours a day on their mobiles, with one respondent claiming up to 15 hours a day of screen time.

What activities do you do on your mobile phone device?

The most popular activity undertaken on mobile phones by our surveyed audience was sending text messages (78%), followed by just under three-quarters (74%) using their phones to send and receive email communication. Phone calls were the third most popular activity, at 73%.

A breakdown of the most popular activities completed on a mobile phone

A comparative bar chart showing the most common activities completed on a mobile phone among surveyed respondents.

Over 70% use their devices for browsing the internet, while over two-thirds (67%) would use their mobiles to check social media accounts.

A breakdown of the most popular activities on mobile devices (2022)

Activity	Percentage	Number of respondents
Messaging	78.10%	1,572
Emails	74.40%	1,496
Phone calls	73.90%	1,487
Browsing the internet	70.70%	1,422
Social media	68.60%	1,381
Checking weather forecasts	57.30%	1,153
Online shopping	54.30%	1,093
Finance/banking	52.30%	1,053
Reading the news	47.90%	963
Practical tasks (e.g. setting an alarm, organising schedules via calendar)	45.60%	917
Listening to music/radio	42.90%	864
Playing games	42.20%	848
Maps and navigation	40.70%	818
Watching TV/videos	32.40%	652
Health tracking	25.60%	515
Reading books	11.80%	238
None of the above	1.20%	24

(Source: Uswitch, September 2022. 2,000 respondents)

Reading books was the least popular activity completed on mobile phones, at just under 12%. Over a quarter of people would track their health on their devices, using apps to monitor exercise and food consumption. Almost a third of people (32%) would watch TV or videos on their mobile phones.

Do you refuse access to your personal data when installing apps?

Response	Percentage
Yes, I always refuse access	17.70%
Yes, I usually refuse access but not always	38.40%
No, I do not refuse access, but I still might do this in the future	23.50%
No, I never refuse access and never will	4.60%
No, but I did not know this was possible	6.30%
Unsure/don't know	9.50%

(Source: Uswitch, September 2022. 2,000 respondents)

Nearly 18% said that they always refuse access to their personal data when installing apps, with over 38% stating they usually did it, but not always.

Almost a quarter (23%) said that they currently don’t, but they might consider it in the future, with less than 5% claiming they never refuse access to their personal data and never will.

6% said they didn’t refuse access because they did not know it was possible.

FAQ's

When did smartphones come out?

The first smartphone was launched in 1992 by IBM, more than 15 years before the first iPhone. ‘The Simon’ was capable of sending emails, faxes and pages, along with many features we would expect from our smartphones today, such as a calendar, clock and file storage.

What are the five uses of a mobile phone?

Smartphones have the ability to perform a whole range of functions that enhance our lives, including work-related tasks, social media and communication, as well as entertainment purposes, such as listening to music, watching films and online gaming.

What percentage of the UK does not have a mobile phone?

As of 2024, 4% of the UK population did not own a mobile phone. When taking into account the total number of people in the UK who use a mobile phone, only 7% did not own a smartphone.

What percentage of children in the UK have a mobile phone?

71% of UK children aged 3-15 use a mobile phone to access the internet. By the age of 12-15, 96% of children have their own device.

What age group uses a mobile phone the most?

The most popular age group for mobile phone ownership is 16-24, with roughly 100% owning a phone, according to Ofcom. A fifth (20%) of 55-64-year-olds only use their smartphone for the internet (the most of any age group), with 95% of 12-15-year-olds also using their mobile devices to access the web.

How many hours a day does the average person spend on their phone?

According to a 2023 study, people spend 3.49 hours a day on average on their mobile phones, down from 4.14 hours in the previous year.

What to do with old mobile phones?

You have several options when getting rid of your old mobile phone. Some networks offer trade-in schemes allowing you to return your mobile for cash or credit that can be used on a future contract or device. The level of cash or discount you receive can vary based on the type, model, and condition of the phone.

If your phone is in good working order, then looking at independent selling options like eBay and Gumtree can be a good alternative to trade-in schemes. While these require a little more work to organise, you may be able to earn more money depending on the demand for the phone. Uswitch’s guide on how to get the best price for your old mobile phone can help you decide which of these options is best for you.

Recycling is another easy, eco-friendly way to dispose of an old device, particularly for ones in poor condition or unlikely to command a high selling price. Uswitch’s mobile phone recycling guide covers everything you need in relation to phone recycling while listing some of the main schemes available from prominent networks.

Alternatively, donating to charities like the Red Cross or Oxfam is another simple, ethical way to dispose of an old phone. These charities can either sell your device or recycle it, depending on the condition, with the funds potentially used for good causes.

When did mobile phones become popular?

Though mobile phones were used by some businesses in the 80s, they started to become mainstream devices around the mid-90s due to the rise of smaller devices, price drops, and the birth of text messaging. A key tipping point came between 1998 and 1999, when mobile usage rose from 25% to 49% in just a year.

The acceleration in popularity continued in the 2000s, reaching 80% by 2006 and 95% by 2015.

When did smartphones become popular?

Although the IBM Simon, released in 1994, is considered the first incarnation of a smartphone due to its touchscreen and ability to send faxes. However, smartphones as we know them today were first popularised around early 2007, when Apple released the first iPhone.

Though Blackberry had already popularised devices that contained many features associated with modern smartphones, the first iPhone is widely credited with kickstarting the smartphone boom, with its touchscreen, interface, and multipurpose use setting the template for many of the phones we see today.