Smartphones sit at the intersection of personal communication, mobile internet access and expanding network infrastructure. The statistics below separate ownership, subscriptions, coverage, traffic and economic impact so that global estimates, survey findings and forecasts are not treated as interchangeable.
Key Smartphone Statistics
These figures summarize the most useful smartphone data points across adoption, networks, usage and access:
- In 2024, four out of five people over age 10 worldwide owned a mobile phone, according to an ITU estimate; mobile phone ownership is broader than smartphone ownership.
- In 2024, more than 95% of people over age 10 in high-income economies owned a mobile phone, according to the ITU.
- In 2024, 56% of people over age 10 in low-income countries owned a mobile phone, according to the ITU.
- In 2024, 9.1 billion mobile-cellular subscriptions existed worldwide, although subscriptions can exceed the number of people.
- In 2024, global mobile-broadband penetration reached 95 active subscriptions per 100 inhabitants, including handset- and computer-based subscriptions.
- During 2024, smartphone ownership increased by 250 million people worldwide, according to GSMA.
- In 2024, 4.7 billion people used mobile internet services on their own device worldwide, according to GSMA.
- In 2024, 7.17 billion smartphone subscriptions existed worldwide, based on Ericsson’s estimate.
- Ericsson forecasts 8.49 billion worldwide smartphone subscriptions in 2031, with a 2% CAGR from 2025 to 2031.
- In 2024, 2.28 billion 5G mobile subscriptions existed worldwide, rising to an estimated 2.94 billion in 2025.
- Ericsson forecasts 6.4 billion 5G mobile subscriptions worldwide in 2031, representing a 14% CAGR from 2025 to 2031.
- Average mobile data traffic reached 22 GB per active smartphone per month worldwide in 2025, according to Ericsson.
- Smartphone-originated mobile data traffic reached 143 exabytes per month worldwide in 2025.
- At the end of 2025, 5G carried 48% of global mobile data traffic, while Ericsson forecasts an 85% share in 2031.
- In 2024, Africa had 52 active mobile-broadband subscriptions per 100 inhabitants, compared with 125 in the Americas.
- In 2024, 5G population coverage was estimated at 51% worldwide, versus 84% in high-income countries and 4% in low-income countries.
- In Pew’s 2023 survey, 90% of U.S. adults said they owned a smartphone, while 95% said they used the internet.
- In Pew’s 2023 survey, about 15% of U.S. adults were smartphone-dependent for internet access, meaning they lacked home broadband but owned a smartphone.
- In 2024, mobile technologies and services generated about $6.5 trillion in economic value, or about 5.8% of global GDP, according to GSMA.
- GSMA projects almost $11 trillion of economic value from mobile technologies and services by 2030, representing 8.4% of global GDP.
Contents
- Global smartphone adoption and ownership
- Smartphone subscriptions and 5G trends
- Smartphone data traffic and mobile internet usage
- Regional smartphone connectivity and the digital divide
- U.S. smartphone ownership and dependence
- Smartphone technology’s economic scale and outlook
Global Smartphone Adoption and Ownership Statistics
Ownership, subscriptions and mobile internet use describe different layers of adoption. The ITU’s 2024 ownership estimates refer to people over age 10, while subscription totals count service relationships and can exceed unique individuals.
| Measure | 2024 result | Scope and definition |
|---|---|---|
| Mobile-phone ownership | Four out of five people over age 10 | Worldwide; broader than smartphones |
| Mobile-phone ownership | More than 95% | People over age 10 in high-income economies |
| Mobile-phone ownership | 56% | People over age 10 in low-income countries |
| Mobile-cellular subscriptions | 9.1 billion | Worldwide; subscriptions, not people |
| Mobile-cellular penetration | 112 per 100 inhabitants | Worldwide; subscription-based |
Source: ITU Facts and Figures 2024 – Subscriptions and ITU Facts and Figures 2024 press release.
Mobile-broadband subscriptions grew at an average 5% annually from 2020 to 2024, compared with 1.1% annual growth for mobile-cellular subscriptions over the same period. In 2024, global mobile-broadband penetration was 95 active subscriptions per 100 inhabitants, but the measure includes handset- and computer-based subscriptions.
GSMA estimated that smartphone ownership increased by 250 million people during 2024, while the number of people using mobile internet grew by 200 million. By the end of that year, 4.7 billion people used mobile internet services on their own device; this is a people-based estimate and is not equivalent to all mobile subscriptions.
Source: Trends in Mobile Internet Connectivity.
Smartphone Subscription Statistics and 5G Trends
Ericsson’s subscription series shows a large installed base and continuing migration toward 5G. These are subscription estimates, so they should not be read as a count of unique smartphone owners.
| Technology measure | 2024 | 2025 | 2031 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Smartphone subscriptions | 7.17 billion | 7.47 billion | 8.49 billion forecast |
| 5G mobile subscriptions | 2.28 billion | 2.94 billion | 6.4 billion forecast |
| LTE subscriptions | 4.95 billion | — | 2.37 billion forecast |
| 5G standalone subscriptions | — | 1.65 billion estimate | 3.87 billion forecast |
Source: Ericsson Mobility Report: Global and regional key figures.
Ericsson forecasts worldwide smartphone subscriptions to grow at a 2% CAGR from 2025 to 2031, reaching 8.49 billion. The same forecast puts 5G subscriptions at a much faster 14% CAGR, reaching 6.4 billion by 2031.
LTE subscriptions are forecast to fall from 4.95 billion in 2024 to 2.37 billion by 2031 as technology migration continues. Ericsson estimates 1.65 billion 5G standalone subscriptions in 2025 and forecasts 3.87 billion in 2031; standalone 5G is a subset of total 5G subscriptions.
Mobile broadband overall is forecast to rise from 8.02 billion subscriptions in 2025 to 9.23 billion in 2031. This broader measure is not limited to smartphones.
Smartphone Data Traffic and Mobile Internet Usage Statistics
Smartphone traffic is increasing both because more people use mobile internet and because active smartphones consume more data. Ericsson estimated average traffic at 19 GB per active smartphone per month in 2024 and 22 GB in 2025, forecasting 42 GB in 2031.
| Traffic measure | 2024 | 2025 | 2031 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average per active smartphone | 19 GB/month | 22 GB/month | 42 GB/month forecast |
| Smartphone-originated traffic | 121 EB/month | 143 EB/month | 322 EB/month forecast |
| Total mobile network traffic | — | 203 EB/month | 515 EB/month forecast |
Source: Ericsson Mobility Report: Global and regional key figures.
The active-smartphone measure includes all traffic generated by the device, regardless of how many subscriptions are attached. Ericsson forecasts smartphone-originated traffic at 322 exabytes per month in 2031 and total mobile data traffic at 328 exabytes per month; total mobile network traffic, which includes fixed wireless access under Ericsson’s definition, is forecast at 515 exabytes per month.
At the end of 2025, 5G carried 48% of global mobile data traffic. Ericsson forecasts that share to reach 85% in 2031, which is a traffic-share forecast rather than a population-coverage or subscription-share measure.
Source: Ericsson Mobility Report: Mobile data traffic outlook.
Regional Smartphone Connectivity and the Digital Divide
Regional averages show why global smartphone statistics need geographic context. Active mobile-broadband subscriptions were much more prevalent in the Americas and Europe than in Africa in 2024, and income groups showed an even wider difference.
| Region or income group | Active mobile-broadband subscriptions per 100 inhabitants, 2024 |
|---|---|
| Africa | 52 |
| Americas | 125 |
| Europe | 112 |
| Asia-Pacific | 97 |
| High-income economies | 153 |
| Low-income economies | 40 |
Source: ITU Facts and Figures 2024 – Subscriptions. These are subscription aggregates, not unique-person ownership rates.
The coverage layer is also uneven. The ITU estimated 5G population coverage at 51% worldwide in 2024, compared with 84% in high-income countries and 4% in low-income countries; coverage measures availability, not actual use.
Traffic per subscription differed sharply by income group in 2024: average monthly mobile-broadband traffic was 16.2 GB in high-income economies and 2 GB in low-income economies. Ericsson’s active-smartphone measure similarly estimated 37 GB per month in India, Nepal and Bhutan at the end of 2025, compared with 5 GB in Sub-Saharan Africa.
Ericsson forecasts those regional averages to reach 70 GB per active smartphone per month in India, Nepal and Bhutan and 12 GB in Sub-Saharan Africa in 2031. The averages conceal substantial variation within each region.
Source: ITU Facts and Figures 2024 press release and Ericsson Mobility Report: Mobile data traffic outlook.
U.S. Smartphone Ownership, Access and Dependence Statistics
Pew Research Center’s 2023 survey provides a household and demographic view of smartphone access in the United States. The fieldwork ran from May 19 through September 5, 2023, and the measures are self-reported.
| U.S. adult measure | 2023 survey result |
|---|---|
| Smartphone ownership | 90% |
| Internet use | 95% |
| High-speed internet at home | 80% |
| Almost-constant internet use | 41% |
| Smartphone-dependent internet access | About 15% |
Source: Americans’ Use of Mobile Technology, Home Broadband.
Ownership varied by household income. Smartphone ownership reached 98% among U.S. adults in households earning at least $100,000, compared with 79% among adults in households earning under $30,000.
Dependence also differed by education. Pew reported that 24% of adults with a high-school education or less were smartphone-dependent for internet access, compared with 6% of adults with a college degree.
Pew’s definition of smartphone dependence is specific: a respondent had no home broadband subscription but owned a smartphone. It does not mean low usage or a complete absence of internet access.
Smartphone Technology’s Economic Scale and Future Outlook
The economic figures available for this topic describe the wider mobile technologies and services ecosystem, not smartphones alone. They therefore indicate the scale of the surrounding mobile economy rather than smartphone-only revenue or GDP.
GSMA estimated that mobile technologies and services generated about $6.5 trillion of economic value in 2024, equal to about 5.8% of global GDP. GSMA projects almost $11 trillion in economic value by 2030, with the mobile ecosystem’s GDP contribution reaching 8.4%.
| GSMA mobile-ecosystem measure | 2024 | 2030 projection |
|---|---|---|
| Economic value added | About $6.5 trillion | Almost $11 trillion |
| Share of global GDP | About 5.8% | 8.4% |
| Unique mobile subscribers | — | 6.5 billion |
| Unique-subscriber penetration | — | 71% of global population |
Source: The Mobile Economy 2025.
GSMA projects 6.5 billion unique mobile subscribers by 2030, equivalent to 71% of the global population. Unique subscribers differ from subscriptions and smartphone owners, and mobile service use does not necessarily imply smartphone ownership.