A survey has revealed that the number of the smartphone users has peaked in the UK, with 81% of the people gaining access to the device.
The study conducted by business advisory firm Deloitte has also found that a third of the UK adults and half of 18-24 year olds check their phones in the middle of the night.
The survey showed over 15 million people disrupting their sleep patterns, with 32% of them checking for messages and more than a sixth replying to them.
Deloitte technology, media and telecommunications research head Paul Lee said: “For the first time we have captured data on the UK population’s nocturnal smartphone habits and have found that the smartphone is truly a 24/7 device, particularly among younger age groups.
“Smartphones are personal devices, but their usage impacts those around them. As with most emerging technology, consumers will need to learn how best to run their lives with smartphones, as opposed to having their lives run by their devices.”
The annual survey titled, “There’s no place like phone” said that the UK public has never been more addicted to smartphones. It analyses the mobile usage habits of more than 4,000 UK consumers.
It also revealed that one in ten owners instinctively reach for their phone immediately after they wake up.
The research has found the increasing negative impact of smartphone usage on social behaviour of the users.
It showed a third of 18-24 year-olds in the UK using their smartphones ‘always’ or ‘very often’ when meeting friends, shopping or watching television.
A third (33%) of all 18-24 year olds noted that their excessive use of smartphones had led to arguments with their partners.
Deloitte’s research has showed smartphone ownership surpassing laptop penetration for the first time in the UK.
However, smartphone penetration increased by only 7% in the year to June 2016, indicating a slowing growth.
In July, preliminary results from IDC showed that the global smartphone market remained flat, increasing just 0.3% year-on-year in the second quarter to 343.3 million units,.
The survey said that 4G is now the dominant mobile network, with 54% of all smartphone owners using the network.
According to the research, a fifth (21%) of all smartphone users in the UK currently use their fingerprints for a range of authentication-based applications, from unlocking their phones to approving transactions.
