Irish people are so hooked on their mobile phones that they check them an average 57 times a day, according to a recent study.
In fact, 60% of young people actually get up in the night to see if they have anything new on their phones.
The survey of 1,000 people in Ireland found that the reliance on, and even addiction to, smartphones is a growing trend.
It found that 30% of Irish people check their phones just five minutes before they go to sleep and 40% check them within five minutes of waking up.
Nearly a third of the people surveyed admitted to using their phones when crossing the road.
The survey was carried out Deloitte. Head of Technology Richard Howard said: “Mobile devices are a relatively new ‘addiction’ to our social fabric and they form an important part of our daily activities and interactions.
“Social norms will develop over time, and it will be interesting to see if the fear of being without one’s phone – nomophobia – starts to become more widely recognised.
“We expect to see phone manufacturers continue to put more usage controls into devices to prevent dangerous usage.”
Half the people surveyed, half admitted they use their phones too much, with more women (57%) than men (37%) confessing to being hooked to their phones.
As well as communicating through text and social media, mobiles are being used for gaming, banking, shopping, news and videos.
One in five people have 11-20 apps on their phone, just more than 6-10 apps with accounted for 19% of those surveyed.
The survey also found that 89% of people use their phones when spending time with friends and family, and 74% use them when in a restaurant.
Howard added: “What’s clear, overall, is that we cannot underestimate how mobile devices have changed how we interact with others.
“Our survey shows that the right balance is still to found for many of us.”
The other interesting finding from the survey was the increase in mobile ownership amongst the over 65s, with a rise from 48% in 2016 to 54% this year.
Four out of five of those mobile devices are now smartphones.
Getting up in the night, crossing roads, are the Irish addicted to their mobile phones?
