10 minutes into family movie night

Eager to catch their reactions to a hilarious scene, I looked around only to find everyone engrossed in their phones. This moment made me reflect on our relationship with smartphones.

Hypothesis

<aside>

Although many people perceive their smartphone usage as excessive and desire to reduce it, existing tools designed to control usage are ineffective in helping them achieve this goal

</aside>

What does the data say?

The vivo-CMR report titled 'Smartphones and Their Impact on Human Relationships,' released in December 2020, reveals notable shifts in smartphone usage trends among Indians during the COVID-19 pandemic. The study comprised 2,000 respondents aged 15-45 years across top eight cities (four metros, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Ahmedabad and Pune) with 70% male and 30% female participants.

Key findings include:

Increased Screen Time: The average daily smartphone usage among Indians rose by 25%, reaching 6.9 hours, as individuals relied on their devices for work, study, and entertainment during lockdowns.

Affected Health : Approximately 70% of respondents expressed concerns that continued high smartphone usage could negatively affect their mental or physical health.

Impacted Relationships: The study found that 74% of parents acknowledged that their excessive smartphone use had harmed their relationships with their children.

How are digital habits formed?