Smartphones have become an indispensable part of our daily lives. From checking emails and navigating through traffic to capturing life’s precious moments and staying in touch with loved ones, these pocket-sized devices have changes the way we communicate and interact with the world around us.
But just how many people own smartphones in the World?
Well, According to industry analysis, the number of smartphone users are currently 4.88 billion and the number is expected to reach 7.12 billion by the end of 2024.
In this article, we will explore how many people own smartphones and examine the projected growth in smartphone ownership from 2024 to 2029.
Smartphone Users Key Statistics
- As of 2024, there are approximately 4.88 billion smartphone users worldwide, accounting for about 60.42% of the global population.
- The number of smartphones in use globally is around 7.21 billion.
- China leads global smartphone ownership with 974.6 million users.
- India ranks second with 659 million users.
- The United States has 276.14 million smartphone users with an 81.6% penetration rate.
- 94% of young adults aged 18 to 29 in the US own smartphones.
- 83% of urban residents in the US own smartphones, compared to 65% in rural areas.
- Approximately 132 million people in the US spend 5 to 6 hours daily on their smartphones.
- Samsung held 20.8% of the global smartphone market share in Q1 2024.
- Android dominates the global smartphone operating system market with a 70% share.
- iOS has a 29% share of the global smartphone operating system market.
How Many Smartphone Users Are There?
As of 2024, there are approximately 4.88 billion smartphone users worldwide, accounting for about 60.42% of the global population.
This marks a significant increase from previous years, reflecting a 14.9% annual growth rate.
The number of smartphones in use globally is even higher, totalling around 7.21 billion, as many individuals own more than one device.
Projections suggest that by 2029, the number of smartphone users could rise to 6.38 billion, further showing the rapid adoption and integration of smartphones into daily life.
Here’s a table showcasing the number of smartphone users Worldwide from between 2014 to 2029:
Smartphone users Worldwide
| Year | Smartphone Users Worldwide |
|---|---|
| 2014 | 1 billion |
| 2015 | 1.21 billion |
| 2016 | 1.42 billion |
| 2017 | 1.65 billion |
| 2018 | 1.95 billion |
| 2019 | 2.28 billion |
| 2020 | 2.66 billion |
| 2021 | 3.02 billion |
| 2022 | 3.61 billion |
| 2023 | 4.24 billion |
| 2024* | 4.87 billion |
| 2025* | 5.27 billion |
| 2026* | 5.64 billion |
| 2027* | 6.10 billion |
| 2028* | 6.23 billion |
| 2029* | 6.38 billion |
Source: Bankymcell
Smartphone Ownership Over Time
| Year | Smartphone Users | Growth Over Previous Year | Percentage Growth Over Previous Year |
| 2016 | 3.7 billion | – | – |
| 2017 | 4.5 billion | + 767 million | + 20.91% |
| 2018 | 5.1 billion | + 660 million | + 14.88% |
| 2019 | 5.6 billion | + 528 million | + 10.36% |
| 2020 | 5.9 billion | + 301 million | + 5.35% |
| 2021 | 6.3 billion | + 335 million | + 5.65% |
| 2022 | 6.6 billion | + 308 million | + 4.92% |
| 2023 | 6.9 billion | + 407 million | + 6.2% |
| 2024* | 7.2 billion | + 247 million | + 3.4% |
| 2025* | 7.4 billion | + 223 million | + 3.09% |
| 2026* | 7.5 billion | + 150 million | + 2% |
| 2027* | 7.772 billion | + 188 million | + 2.48% |
| 2028* | 7.949 billion | + 177 million | + 2.28% |
| 2029* | 8.064 billion | + 115 million | + 1.45% |
Smartphone Ownership Distribution By Country
China leads global smartphone ownership with 974.6 million users, while the U.S. has shown the highest penetration rate at 81.6%.
India ranks number second on the list with 659 million users, despite a lower adoption rate.
Indonesia, Brazil, and Russia each have over 100 million smartphone users, with penetration rates ranging from 66% to 74%.
| Country | Smartphone Users | Total Population | Smartphone Penetration |
| China | 974.6 million | 1.43 billion | 68.4% |
| India | 659 million | 1.42 billion | 46.5% |
| United States | 276.14 million | 338.29 million | 81.6% |
| Indonesia | 187.7 million | 275.5 million | 68.1% |
| Brazil | 143.43 million | 215.31 million | 66.6% |
| Russia | 106.44 million | 144.71 million | 73.6% |
| Japan | 97.44 million | 123.95 million | 78.6% |
| Nigeria | 83.34 million | 218.54 million | 38.1% |
| Mexico | 78.37 million | 127.5 million | 61.5% |
| Pakistan | 72.99 million | 235.82 million | 31% |
Smartphone users in the United States
The United States, one of the most developed nations globally, has an impressive smartphone penetration rate, with nearly 95% of the population owning a smartphone.
In the US, almost 38 in 40 people own a cell phone. Let’s delve into the number of smartphone users in the U.S., examining various factors such as age group, gender, and residence.
Smartphone users in the United States From 2014 To 2029
| Year | Smartphone Users in US |
|---|---|
| 2014 | 190 million |
| 2015 | 217 million |
| 2016 | 241 million |
| 2017 | 259 million |
| 2018 | 274 million |
| 2019 | 287 million |
| 2020 | 296 million |
| 2021 | 302 million |
| 2022 | 307 million |
| 2023 | 311 million |
| 2024* | 316 million |
| 2025* | 320 million |
| 2026* | 324 million |
| 2027* | 328 million |
| 2028* | 331 million |
| 2029* | 335 million |
Source: Statista
Smartphone Users by Gender
Approximately 75% of smartphone users are in the US are female, while 80% are male.
| Gender | Percentage who own a smartphone |
| Male | 80% |
| Female | 75% |
Smartphone Users by Age
Smartphone adoption in the United States varies significantly across age groups, revealing a clear generational divide.
Among young adults aged 18 to 29, smartphones has an impressive 94% penetration rate.
The 30 to 49 age group has 89% of individuals who own smartphones.
A notable drop occurs in the 65+ age, where only 46% are smartphone users.
| Age Group | Percentage of Smartphone users |
| 18 to 29 Years old | 94% |
| 30 to 49 Years old | 89% |
| 50 to 64 Years old | 73% |
| 65+ | 46% |
Smartphone Users by Locality
Smartphone usage in the United States also varies by locality, reflecting differences in access and adoption across different areas.
In urban areas, smartphone ownership is the highest, with 83% of residents using these devices.
Suburban areas have a 78% penetration rate.
However, in rural areas, the percentage drops down to 65%, indicating a significant disparity in smartphone adoption between urban and rural populations.
| Area | Percentage of Smartphone users |
| Urban Area | 83% |
| Suburban Area | 78% |
| Rural Citizens | 65% |
Smartphone Users by ethnicity
The United States shows minimal variation across different ethnic groups.
Among Black Americans, 75% own smartphones.
Both Hispanic and White populations have slightly higher adoption rates, with 77% of individuals in each group using smartphones.
This indicates a relatively uniform level of smartphone penetration across these major ethnic demographics.
| Ethnicity | Percentage of Smartphone users |
| Black | 75% |
| Hispanic | 77% |
| White | 77% |
Smartphone Users by Education Level
Smartphone ownership in the United States also varies by education level.
Among those with less than a high school degree, 90% own mobile phones, with 57% using only smartphones.
For those with some college education, 96% own mobile phones, and 80% use only smartphones.
College graduates have the highest ownership rates, with 97% owning mobile phones and 91% using only smartphones.
| Education Level | Mobile Phone Ownership | Mobile Phone Only Ownership | Non-Smartphone Only Ownership |
| Less than high-school | 90% | 57% | 33% |
| High-school graduate | 92% | 69% | 24% |
| Some College | 96% | 80% | 16% |
| College graduate | 97% | 91% | 6% |
Smartphone Users by Generation Level
Smartphone usage varies significantly across different generations in the United States.
Millennials lead the way, with 94% owning smartphones, followed by Gen X at 89%.
Gen Z also shows high adoption rates, with 73% using smartphones.
Baby Boomers have a lower rate of ownership at 69%, while Gen Alpha, the youngest generation, has a 17% smartphone usage rate.
| Generation | Number of Smartphone users |
| Millennials | 94% |
| Gen X | 89% |
| Gen Z | 73% |
| Baby Boomers | 69% |
| Gen Alpha | 17% |
The total amount of time people spend on their Smartphones in the US
Approximately 132 million people in the U.S spend 5 to 6 hours daily on their smartphones.
In contrast, only 5% of U.S. smartphone users spend less than an hour on their devices.
Below is a table detailing the number of hours users spend on smartphones in the United States.
| Total hours | Number of users |
| Less than 1 hour | 13.8 million |
| 1 – 2 hours | 19.3 million |
| 3 – 4 hours | 60.6 million |
| 5 – 6 hours | 132 million |
| 6+ hours | 49.5 million |
Source: Ourworldindata
The smartphone market has seen significant shifts over the years, with Samsung and Apple consistently leading the industry.
Samsung held the largest market share in 2012 at 30.3%, which fluctuated over the years, reaching 20.8% in Q1 2024
Apple, starting at 18.7% in 2012, saw a steady increase, peaking at 24.7% in Q4 2023.
Huawei, once a major player, peaked at 17.6% in 2019 before its market presence diminished.
Xiaomi has shown consistent growth, reaching 14.1% in Q1 2024.
| Year | Samsung | Apple | Huawei | Xiaomi | Oppo | Vivo | Lenovo |
| 2012 | 30.3% | 18.7% | 4% | – | – | – | 3.3% |
| 2013 | 31.3% | 15.3% | 4.9% | – | – | – | 4.5% |
| 2014 | 24.4% | 14.8% | 5.7% | 4.4% | – | – | 4.6% |
| 2015 | 22.3% | 16.1% | 7.4% | 4.9% | 3% | 2.6% | 5.2% |
| 2016 | 21.1% | 14.6% | 9.5% | 3.6% | 6.8% | 5.3% | – |
| 2017 | 21.7% | 14.7% | 10.5% | 6.3% | 7.6% | – | – |
| 2018 | 20.8% | 14.9% | 14.7% | 8.7% | 8.1% | – | – |
| 2019 | 21.6% | 13.9% | 17.6% | 9.2% | 8.3% | – | – |
| 2020 | 20.6% | 15.9% | 14.6% | 11.4% | – | 8.6% | – |
| Q2’21 | 18.9% | 14.2% | – | 16.9% | 10.5% | 10.1% | – |
| Q2’22 | 21.8% | 15.6% | – | 13.8% | 8.6% | 8.7% | – |
| Q4’22 | 21.2% | 17.2% | – | 13.4% | 8.6% | 8.6% | – |
| Q2’23 | 20.2% | 16% | – | 12.5% | 9.6% | 9.5% | – |
| Q4’23 | 16.3% | 24.7% | – | 12.5% | 7.4% | 8.6% | – |
| Q1’24 | 20.8% | 17.3% | – | 14.1% | 8.7% | 9.9% | – |
Source: CounterPoint, Statista
Leading Smartphone Operating Systems
In the global smartphone market, Android dominates with a 70% share of operating systems.
Apple’s iOS has a significant 29% market share.
Other operating systems like Samsung, Windows, Nokia account for only 0.1% of the market share.
| Operating System | Operating system market share |
| Android | 70% |
| iOS | 29% |
| Samsung | 0.4% |
| KaiOS | 0.1% |
| Windows | 0.02% |
| Nokia | 0.01% |
The Bottom Line
It is evident that smartphones are now an essential part of our everyday lives, with global ownership continuing to grow rapidly.
The data highlights significant variations in smartphone adoption across different demographics, including age, locality, ethnicity, and education levels, with younger and more educated populations showing higher ownership rates.
The dominance of Android and iOS operating systems also underscores the concentrated nature of the smartphone market.
Today, everything digital can be accessed by simply using your smartphone. This convenience has led most industry specialists to believe that the number of smartphone users will continue to rise.
