Gone are the days when a phone was just a way to contact friends and family. Smartphones enable us to take photos, play games, browse the internet, download PDF files for school or work, and more. It should come as no surprise, then, that the type of smartphone you choose — and the type of apps you use — reflects your personality. Here’s what researchers have discovered so far about smartphones and the people who use them.
Smartphone User Demographics
Let’s start with the basics: demographics. According to a study conducted at Lancaster University, iPhone users tend to be younger than Android users, and they are more than twice as likely to be women. They’re also more likely to view their smartphone as a status symbol. Android users, on the other hand, tend to be older, male, and less interested in wealth and status.
TalkTalk Mobile, a U.K. provider, took a look at smartphone users’ occupations. The TalkTalk Mobile study found that Android users are more likely to work in the culture and sport industries, and they put in the longest hours. iPhone users mostly work in media and stay late more often. Blackberry users work the fewest hours, are the highest earners, and are mainly in the finance, property, and health industries.
About iPhone Users
As far as personality goes, the Lancaster University study found that iPhone users are more extroverted than Android users. Extroverts gain energy from socializing. It makes sense, then, that iPhone users in the TalkTalk Mobile study were more likely to describe themselves as flirty, confident, and daring. Compared to Blackberry and Android users, they’re more well-traveled, more ambitious, and more likely to rate themselves as attractive. Additionally, they spend more money on clothes each year and think their bosses rate them highly.
About Blackberry Users
Blackberry devices aren’t as popular as iPhone or Android smartphones, so not many studies focus on Blackberry users. However, we found out what we could because we know they’re still out there. The majority of Blackberry users tend to have more friends than iPhone or Android users. They describe themselves as loud and bubbly, and they also have the most long-term relationships.
This smartphone first became popular with business types, and Blackberry users’ habits seem to fit with what you’d expect from that lifestyle: going out to eat more often, drinking more coffee and tea, and showing up late more often than iPhone or Android users.
About Android Users
Unlike iPhone and Blackberry users, most Android users tend to be introverted. Because introverts gain energy from spending time alone, it’s not surprising that Android users also tend to be more creative. Their other habits including watching more TV, drinking more, and cooking. In fact, they’re better cooks than iPhone and Blackberry users. Additionally, Android users rate high in agreeableness. This means that when they do socialize, they tend to be more polite and cooperative.
What Your Smartphone Usage Says About You
What you actually do with your smartphone also says a lot about your personality. The study “Personality Traits Predict Smartphone Usage,” published in August 2017 in the European Journal of Personality, found a connection between core personality traits and certain smartphone applications.
According to the study results, extroverts make more phone calls, send more text messages, and use the camera function more often than introverts. They’re also more likely to personalize their smartphones. For example, if you frequently change your ring tone or download new backgrounds, you might be an extrovert.
People who score high in agreeableness are more likely to use transportation apps, while those high in conscientiousness aren’t as likely to play mobile games.
Whatever you use your cell phone for, it’s important to pair it with the right plan. T-Mobile has cell phone plans to fit your needs. With its 4G LTE network, which is now the fastest network, you can quickly browse the web, send photos, watch videos, and download whatever apps you need.
Do any of these study results ring true for you? Nobody can know everything about another person just by looking at his or her smartphone. However, our phones say far more about us now than ever before.
