Irish people would make many sacrifices before parting with their smartphone

Photo by Creative Christians on Unsplash

When faced with the option of giving up something for a year to keep their smartphone, 1 in 3 Irish people say they would stop eating out. 25% of people say they would ditch physical exercise instead of their beloved smartphone, while 16% of respondents say they would forfeit a holiday.

The data from a new study shows the true extent of our reliance on technology and in particular, smartphones. A thousand people responded to the online survey carried out by Europe’s leading destination for buying and selling refurbished iPhones, Swappie and market research company, Kantar, with almost 100% saying they rely on their smartphone for work and for leisure. With easy access to emails and work messages, 50% of people say they use their smartphone as much for work as they do for fun.

More than a third of Irish people say they use their phone 5 to 10 times a day while 1 in 5 admit to checking it more than 16 times a day. When it comes to what people are using their smartphone for, the options are endless.

61% say they rely on their phone to choose new clothes, accessories and to get inspiration for home improvements. 45% of respondents now reach for their smartphone to do their weekly grocery shopping. 21% say they turn to their phone to view entertainment while 20% say when it comes to booking trips, their phone is a vital tool.