Nomophobia reportedly affects more than half of the UK, defined by a fear of losing signal, running out of battery or an owner’s mobile not being in sight.
A survey conducted by One Poll found that a surprising 54% of people said they experienced this anxiety concerning the whereabouts of their smartphone.
Like our survey conducted in April this year, One Poll investigated the places where people are using their phones the most, including locations that a decade or so ago would have been deemed as inappropriate. In our survey we discovered that 53% of workers play mobile games whilst they are supposed to be working at the office.
One Poll found that an incredible 42% of users took their phones to the beach with them, despite the obvious damage risks. 28% of people also reply to work-related texts and emails whilst they are on holiday, which is increasingly becoming expected by many employers.
The huge increase in smartphone ownership has also contributed to a change in social decorum. Not only did our survey find that 22% of people use their mobiles whilst eating, but One Poll discovered that 1,000 of those polled would check emails and texts even on a dinner date.
Coined approximately five years ago from a YouGov study, the term has become even more widely used as smartphones have become an integral aspect to people’s day-to-day lives. If the recent statistics showing that smartphones are outselling feature phones point to anything , they show us that these devices are not only becoming a key tool in allowing us to stay in communication with each other, but their advanced technology assist us in carrying out our daily lives.
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