PHONES BEFORE BONES

PHONES BEFORE BONES: 10 PER CENT OF MILLENNIALS WOULD RATHER BREAK A BONE THAN GIVE UP THEIR PHONE FOR THE DAY

• Damaging a mobile device draws a powerful emotional response from over 95 per cent of the UK population
• Half have had a fight with their partner because they spent too much time on their mobile device
• Average Brit is glued to their phone for 3.81 hours of the day and over half sleep directly next to their device at night

Today new insight from iSmash, the UK’s leading tech repair specialist, reveals the extent to which Brits are reliant on their mobile devices, and measures the emotional response that occurs when their device breaks. Over 95 per cent of the population admitted to reacting badly to breaking their phone, with 58 per cent feeling annoyed, 45 per cent feeling angry and 40 per cent getting angry.

The research further uncovered the extent to which Brits would go to keep their devices in working order, with immediately repairing a broken phone more important than: meeting friends for dinner for 1 in 6, paying bills for 1 in 10 and buying food for the week for an additional 1 in 10.

The average Brits spends 3.81 hours on their phone per day, this increases to 4.71 hours a day for those aged between 25 and 34 and a staggering 5.57 hours a day for 18 to 24 year olds. Added up over the course of a year, this equates to 57.9 days spent on the phone for the average UK resident, 71.6 days for those aged 25-34 and 84.7 days for those from 18 to 24.

Going without your phone for 24 hours

When asked what they would rather do than give up their phone for just 24 hours, the results further highlighted the extent to which technology domintates our lives now. 1 in 7 Brits (13.6 per cent) would rather get all their hair shaved off, 1 in 5 (19.6 per cent) would prefer to repeatedly scrape their fingers down a chalk board and almost 2 in 5 women (37.3 per cent) would rather go without make up.

Age variations were noticeable, with those aged 18-24 and 25-34 the most affected by the loss of their beloved mobile device. An incredible 10.68 per cent of those in the 25-34 age bracket would rather break a bone than go without their phone for just one day, and 36 per cent of those between 18 and 24 would rather go a day without washing than be without their device.

Relationship domination

The data also revealed the increasing role mobile devices have in our personal lives, and the strains that they can put on relationships. Two thirds of Brits (63.35 per cent) sleep next to their phone for more than 4 days out of the week and 21 per cent sleep next their phone more often than they do their partner.

Half of Brits (47 per cent) have had arguments with their partner because they spend too much time on their phone and 59 per cent regularly use their phone at the dinner table whilst eating with others.

To help Brits measure their own reliance of technology, iSmash has built a tool that tells you how dependent you are on your phone and shows you how you rank compared to the rest of the nation: link here.

Julian Shovlin, founder and managing director at iSmash, said: “Our mobile devices are increasingly becoming part of our lives, and nothing highlights that better than the fact that a huge portion of the population would prefer to break a bone than go without their phone for a mere 24 hours. Thankfully for those with a broken device, there’s no need to panic. With an average repair time of just 30 minutes, anyone can drop into their local iSmash store and get back up and running in no time at all.”

iSmash specialises in offering an express repair service for smartphones, tablets and computers along with a wide range of mobile accessories and refurbished devices. Since launching in 2013, iSmash has grown to 26 repair shops across the UK and counting. It prides itself on offering an express repair service powered by iSmash accredited technicians, on-site at each of its shops, and all its screen replacements are backed by a lifetime warranty.