The chart compares the proportion of smartphone users across four age groups between 2005 and 2025.
Overall, smartphone rates increased significant across all groups throughout the period. The 18-29 group always had the highest rates, while the 60 plus group always recorded the lowest. Older age groups showed relatively stronger growth rates, smartphones are becom increasingly popular for older adults.
Look at the two younger age groups, smartphone rates increased sharply throughout the period. In 2005, about 30% of those aged 18-29 used smartphones, 10 percentage higher than the 30-44 age group (20%)By 2010, these numbers had jump from 55 percentage to the 18-29 group and 40 percentage for the 30-44 group. They continued to rise and reaching 75 percentage and 60 percentage in 2015. Besides, this trend did not slow down. By 2020, the rate reach 90 percentage for younger age groups and 75 percentage for older age groups. Finally, the numbers peak at 95 percentage for the 18-29 age group and 85 percentage for the 30-44 age group. In general, the youngest age group consistently recorded the highest smartphone usage rates throughout the entire period.
First of all, older adults adopted smartphones slowly. In 2005, only 10 percentage of those aged 45-59 and just 5 percentage of those over 60 used them. But they didn’t stop there. By 2010, those numbers had doubled such as 20 percentage for the 45-59 age group and 10 percentage for those over 60. Rates continue to rise 35 percentage for the 45-59 group, and 20 percentage for the oldest group in 2005. In 2020, more than half of those aged 45-59 were using smartphones, while 35% of those over 60 were participated. Even with that convenience, the oldest age group still uses smartphones less than other groups.
