CONSUMERS around the world admit it: they sleep with their smartphone, take it in the shower, and would rescue the device from a fire before saving the family cat.
Those are among the findings of a seven-country survey of more than 7,000 people about smartphone habits released on Tuesday (July 28) by Motorola, the newly acquired division of Chinese electronics giant Lenovo.
Sixty per cent of those surveyed said they slept holding their handsets – with the highest percentages in India (74 per cent) and China (70 per cent). And 57 per cent said they took the device into the toilet, with the highest totals from China and Brazil.
One in six smartphone users said they used their phones while showering, and more than half – 54 per cent – said they would reach for the smartphone before saving their cat in the event of a fire.
How close are people to their devices? 22 per cent said they would give up sex for a weekend before parting with their smartphone. And 40 per cent tell secrets to their phones they would not reveal even to their best friend.
But the relationship is not perfect. Only 39 per cent said they were "happy" with their smartphone, and 79 per cent felt bothered that their devices interrupted them at inopportune moments.
The survey was conducted online by KRC Research with a total of 7,112 smartphone owners in the United States, Britain, Brazil, China, Spain, Mexico and India.
It was released as Motorola unveiled two upgraded versions of its flagship Moto X handset – one with a larger 5.7 inch display and another with a 5.5 inch screen. The company said the devices would be priced hundreds of dollars lower than other flagship devices.
The company also unveiled a second-generation Moto G, priced at under $200 and aimed at emerging markets.
Motorola will be selling most of the devices unlocked for use with almost any carrier.
