London - Making a call is now only the sixth most common use for a mobile phone, a study has found.
Sending and receiving text messages, reading emails, browsing the internet and using the phone’s alarm clock have all overtaken actual conversation.
In fact, almost four in ten smartphone users believe they would manage without a call function on their handset at all.
The study, by taxi app Hailo, found the average person uses their mobile phone for an hour and 52 minutes a day.
Most of this time is taken up with texting, emails and surfing the web, but around 20 minutes will be spent making an average of three calls.
The survey of 2 000 people found that social media apps, calculators, calendars and cameras were also seen as particularly important functions.
Navigation apps such as Google Maps were popular too – with one in six respondents admitting they would feel unable to travel around an unfamiliar city without one.
Tom Barr, Hailo’s chief executive, said: “The functions on a smartphone have developed and improved drastically over the past decade.
“With so many ways to keep in touch nowadays, people are using the functions that are convenient for them.
“We need more convenience in our lives and less hassle. While calling can be more personal, it doesn’t always save you time.”
WHAT WE USE THEM FOR MOST
1. Sending text messages
2. Reading text messages
3. Reading emails
4. Surfing the internet
5. Setting an alarm clock
6. Making calls
7. Sending emails
8. Checking the time
9. Using the calculator
10. Checking Facebook
Daily Mail