Smartphone overuse remains high in Scandinavia

Digital devices deliver entertainment and connectivity, but they can also fuel tech fatigue and worries about well-being. This is the case with the smartphone, the pocket-size device that for years has been an integral part of people’s daily lives.

Overuse of smartphones among Scandinavians is a well-known phenomenon and is even part of the political debate around mental well-being. This modern-day addiction seems to be sticking around. In our 2023 survey, 60 per cent of Scandinavians say that they spend too much time on their smartphone, 42 per cent tend to stay awake later than planned due to using their smartphone, 34 per cent tend to use their smartphone during meals, and 66 per cent tend to use it as soon as they wake up.

Figure 1. Overuse of smartphones
_{Thinking about the following statements, which of the following devices does it apply to, if any? (The figure shows the respondents who chose “Mobile phone”)}

_{Base: All adults 18-75. Base size: 2022 (n=4,000) 2023 (n=3,994).
Note: Multiple choice question.}

Not surprisingly, the overuse of smartphones is driven primarily by young Scandinavians who are used to navigating seamlessly between the physical and digital worlds. What is interesting, however, is that many young people recognise that they spend too much time on their smartphones. For Scandinavians aged 16-17, a whopping 82 per cent believe they spend too much time on their smartphone, and 77 per cent stay up later than planned for the same reason. Knowing how sleep deprivation has a negative impact on mental health,¹ these numbers are a matter of concern.

Figure 2. Overuse of smartphones: Age
_{Thinking about the following statements, which of the following devices does it apply to, if any? (The figure shows the respondents who chose “Mobile phone”)}

_{Base: All adults 16-75. Base size: 16-17, 2023 (n=131) 18-24, 2023 (n=473) 25-34, 2023 (n=790) 35-44, 2023 (n=712) 45-54, 2023 (n=760) 55-64, 2023 (n=689) 65-75, 2023 (n=645).
Note: Multiple choice question.}

Excessive use of social media persists

This year, we again asked Scandinavian consumers to estimate how much time they spend each day on social media (excluding instant messaging).

Interestingly, despite recent public debates on the overuse of social media, the numbers remain about the same as in 2022. For example, 35 per cent of Scandinavians spend 2 hours or more on social media each day; and this year we again see a small proportion of Scandinavian consumers spending an excessive amount of time. 9 per cent spend 4-6 hours a day, 3 per cent 6-10 hours a day, and 1 per cent a staggering 11 hours or more each day on social media.

Figure 3. Average daily time spent on social media
_{On average, how much time, if at all, do you spend on social media (excluding instant messaging)?}

_{Base: All adults 18-75 who have a smartphone, use social media and did not answer “Do not know”. Base size: 2022 (n=3,424) 2023 (n=3,436).}

Young people are much more likely to spend time on social media than older age groups, and 83 per cent of 16-17 year-olds say that they spend 2 hours or more each day on social media (excluding instant messaging). Most experts agree that the use of social media among teenagers can have both positive and negative consequences.² It can pave the way to friendships but can also lead to loneliness or fear of missing out. What is undeniable is that the Scandinavian countries, like many others, face rising rates of anxiety, depression³ and other mental health struggles⁴ among young people, and that social media may be a part of the problem.

Figure 4. Average daily time spent on social media: Age
_{On average, how much time, if at all, do you spend on social media (excluding instant messaging)?}

_{Base: All adults 16-75 who have a smartphone, use social media and did not answer “Do not know”. Base size: 16-17, 2023 (n=124) 18-24, 2023 (n=441) 25-34, 2023 (n=723) 35-44, 2023 (n=645) 45-54, 2023 (n=666) 55-64, 2023 (n=559) 65-75, 2023 (n=467).}

Have smartphones reached their full potential?

Scandinavians are spending a lot of time on their smartphones, but how are they using them? And why are they so difficult to put away?

Looking back over the past five years, the smartphone has grown in popularity when it comes to connecting Scandinavians with entertainment, banking, internet searching and shopping. Across all age groups, the percentage of Scandinavian consumers who identify the smartphone as their preferred device for these activities has increased since 2018: 78 per cent now prefer their smartphone for using social media, 75 per cent for checking their bank balances, 58 per cent for online search, and 48 per cent for browsing shopping websites.

Figure 5. Smartphones as the preferred device
_{Which, if any, is your preferred device for each of the following activities? (The figure shows the respondents who chose “Mobile phone”)}

_{Base: All adults 18-75 who have a smartphone and have not responded “Not applicable” to the given activity.
Base size: Use social media, 2018 (n=3,287) 2019 (n=3,350) 2020 (n=1,675) 2022 (n=1,753) 2023 (n=1,842)
Online search, 2018 (n=3,591) 2019 (n=3,594) 2020 (n=1,791) 2021 (n=1,849) 2022 (n=1,873) 2023 (n=1,956)
Make online purchases, 2018 (n=3,550) 2019 (n=3,541) 2020 (n=1,750) 2021 (n=1,828) 2022 (n=1,842) 2023 (n=1,920)
Stream films and/or TV series, 2018 (n=3,068) 2019 (n=3,154) 2020 (n=1,606) 2021 (n=1,702) 2022 (n=1,716) 2023 (n=1,792)
Watch live TV, 2018 (n=3,121) 2019 (n=3,185) 2020 (n=1,600) 2021 (n=1,663) 2022 (n=1,693) 2023 (n=1,745)
Check bank balances, 2018 (n=3,580) 2019 (n=3,576) 2020 (n=1,785) 2021 (n=1,842) 2022 (n=1,869) 2023 (n=1,949)
Browse shopping websites, 2018 (n=3,523) 2019 (n=3,512) 2020 (n=1,730) 2021 (n=1,808) 2022 (n=1,838) 2023 (n=1,904)
Play games 2018 (n=2,853) 2019 (n=2,941) 2020 (n=1,453) 2021 (n=1,463) 2022 (n=1,460) 2023 (n=1,534)
Note: Multiple choice question. Data for social media in 2021 is not available.}

Despite their huge popularity, preferences for using smartphones appear to have reached a plateau when it comes to shopping, entertainment and watching films and TV. Other uses of smartphones, however, could still see a significant further uptake in the coming years, especially for payments and identification.

Today, 34 per cent of Danish consumers use their smartphone ‘always or often’ as a payment method, compared with 26 per cent of Swedish consumers and just 14 per cent of Norwegian consumers. While the Danish numbers are on a par with other European countries such as the UK and Belgium, other countries show significantly higher adoption of smartphones for payments, most notably Poland where close to half of all consumers are now frequent users of this functionality.

Figure 6. Frequency of smartphone payments: Country
_{When the option is available, how often do you use a smartphone or smartwatch (for example, using Apple Pay or Google Pay) to pay for things in person, for example in a shop or restaurant?}

_{Base: All adults 18-75 who have access to a smartphone or smartwatch and who did not answer “Do not know”. Base size: Poland, 2023 (n=1,883) Hungary, 2023 (n=956) United Kingdom, 2023 (n=3,731) Denmark, 2023 (n=941) Belgium, 2023 (n=1,844) Japan, 2023 (n=1,738) Netherlands, 2023 (n=1,899) Austria, 2023 (n=953) Italy, 2023 (n=1,891) Germany, 2023 (n=1,852) Sweden, 2023 (n=1,875) Norway, 2023 (n=948).}

Another use of smartphones is for identification. For example, 36 per cent of Scandinavian consumers would like to be able to use their smartphone to store their driver’s licence, and 30 per cent for storing their passport. In Denmark, individuals can now formally store their driver’s licence and national health insurance card on their smartphone without having to carry the physical version around with them. Most likely, the use of safe, government-verified identification technology will increase in the coming years across all of Scandinavia and beyond.

Figure 7. Use of smartphones for identification
_{Which, if any, of the following would you like to be able to use your smartphone for, instead of using other items such as physical keys, ID cards or documents?}

_{Base: All adults 18-75 who have a smartphone. Base size: 2023 (n=3,836).
Note: Multiple choice question.}

Steady adoption of the smart home

Smartphones are not the only gadgets fighting for consumers’ attention. While connected entertainment is more popular than ever (70 per cent of Scandinavian consumers now own a smart TV), the adoption of non-entertainment smart home appliances is relatively slow, although the numbers are increasing year by year.

For example, 20 per cent of Scandinavian consumers now own or have access to a robot vacuum cleaner, and 17 per cent have a connected car system. 12 per cent of consumers own a smart burglar alarm, 10 per cent use connected security cameras either indoors or outdoors, 9 per cent use smart locks, and 6 per cent use smart thermostats for better energy consumption.

Figure 8. Ownership of connected devices
_{More devices or “things” can now connect to the Internet. Which, if any, of the following connected devices do you own or have ready access to?}

^{Base: All adults 18-75. Base size: 2020 (n=1,966) 2021 (n=4,000) 2022 (n=4,000) 2023 (n=3,994).
Note: Multiple choice question.}

Other smart devices previously thought to revolutionise home life have failed to attract consumers. Many people probably remember images of the smart kitchen, in which the fridge could order food or even come up with a tailored recipe based on what food you had at hand. Although it may be intriguing for some tech-savvy consumers, this kind of functionality has yet to win broad appeal and may never do so.

In search of new habits

The reality is that most technologies are a double-edged sword, and connected devices are no exception. They can improve productivity, as well as diminish it. They can be used to communicate more, or they can overload us with information. They can connect people, or make people feel lonely or inadequate. It is all about finding the right balance.

Although Scandinavian consumers are increasingly embracing various forms of smart technology, some may eventually distance themselves from the digital universe to live a more peaceful life without the constant noise of non-stop entertainment and connectivity. From global surveys, we know that a large portion of consumers have a desire to simplify tech complexity. In a recent 2023 survey from Deloitte, 41 per cent of US respondents said they dislike managing their devices, and 28 per cent said managing tech devices and subscriptions is “overwhelming”.⁵

Letting go of digital habits, however, may be more difficult than acquiring them, and Scandinavians clearly find it difficult to let go of theirs. Our survey shows that the self-diagnosis is there, but are we ready to take the cure?

_{¹ https://www.columbiapsychiatry.org/news/how-sleep-deprivation-affects-your-mental-health
² https://www.vive.dk/da/udgivelser/digitalt-mediebrugs-betydning-for-sociale-relationer-faellesskaber-og-stress-blandt-unge-rv7dnkvn/
³ https://www.zetland.dk/historie/sem4XwPL-ae6Ewl5D-19d24
⁴ https://www.altinget.dk/social/artikel/svensk-civilsamfundsleder-i-norden-er-vi-det-lykkeligste-folk-men-selvmord-er-den-mest-hyppige-doedsaarsag-blandt-svenske-unge
⁵ https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/deloitte-the-connected-consumer-paradox---desire-for-fewer-devices-vs-more-virtual-experiences-and-technology-innovation-301919928.html}