Three in five Brits think their phone is making them stupid

A UK consumer electronics ‘e-tailer’ has discovered that three in five (63%) Brits believe their mobile phone is making them stupid.

The Big Phone Store surveyed more than 2,000 British adults to discover how modern mobile phone use has impacted people’s everyday lives.

When asked why they believe their mobile phone is making them stupid, nearly three quarters (71%) of Brits said that the apps on their phones meant they no longer had to think about things for themselves, with over a third of those (39%) respondents stating that a search engine, such as Google or Safari, is one of their most commonly used apps.

The results also revealed that nearly half of people (47%) believe they suffer from Nomophobia (the fear of being without a mobile phone). Four in five (81%) respondents admitted they couldn’t go a whole day without going on their phone, while a third (31%) revealed their mobile phone increases their anxiety and stress levels.

Two thirds (66%) of participants surveyed indicated that they struggle to concentrate when doing daily tasks due to their mobile phones, and a quarter (25%) believe their phone has made them antisocial.

When asking participants about the positive effects of mobile devices, a third (35%) of Brits stated that they think their phone makes them more productive and over half (53%) feel safer with their mobile on their person. Touching on the negative impact of mobile phones, the retailer also asked participants if they would stop using their mobile as a result, to which over nine in ten (94%) confirmed they would not.

According to national statistics, approximately 95% of households in the UK own a mobile phone, with 78% of those being smartphones. This figure has nearly doubled over the last twenty years, when less than half of all households in the UK owned a mobile phone.*

The Big Phone Store specialises in refurbished, used and new mobile phones, and phone accessories. Buyers can shop securely for products across a range of categories including electricals, baby and toddler, home and garden, and cars and automotive, with a choice of big name brands such as Apple, Samsung, Google and Huawei. With a team of experts monitoring and comparing prices day and night, The Big Phone Store ensures that customers get the best value for money with a price match guarantee.

The Big Phone Store, said,

“We are a nation of mobile phone fans. It’s very uncommon to hear of anyone who doesn’t own a phone nowadays, however, twenty years ago this definitely wasn’t the case. Therefore, as phones are an essential part of people’s lives in 2020, we were intrigued to discover how people believe using their phone impacts them.

“It was initially shocking to discover just how many people believe their phones are making them stupid, however when looking into this further, it was very understandable as so many of us rely on our devices for simple tasks we no longer can be bother to do for ourselves – whether that’s working out a quick sum or even remembering a password. Despite that it was good to see some of the positive impacts phones have from safety to productivity – and were particularly happy to discover that nearly all participants confirmed they will continue to use their phones!”