Americans Equate Smartphone Access To Food And Water In Terms Of Life Priorities

A new survey by Asurion reveals Americans’ reliance on their mobile phones is steadily growing and not showing any signs of slowing down. Additional results from the survey further highlight consumer behaviors and habits with tech, broken down by generation. Among the findings:

• 97% think Americans are addicted to their devices but only 59% think they themselves are.
• Seven in ten reports having their phone within reach while sleeping. This number goes up to nearly nine in ten (88%) when looking at Millennials, dropping to 76% for Gen Xers, and 48% for Baby Boomers.
• When asked how long they could live without certain items, most respondents assigned the same length of time to their mobile phones as food and water. Across generational lines, respondents said one day is the longest they’d go without either of these “must-haves.”
• 23% have taken a business call in the bathroom, with Millennials leading the pack (31%). This bathroom behavior may explain why 38% of Millennials say they’ve dropped their phone in the toilet, compared to 19% of Gen Xers and 6% of Boomers.
• Among those who are married, a third (32%) check their phone first thing when they wake up, but only 10% greet or kiss their spouse. Millennials are more likely to greet their spouse first (10%), compared to Gen Xers and Boomers (5%).