Germans suffer from these side effects

The smartphone has become an everyday companion for many people. But this can also have negative consequences. We'll tell you what side effects Germans are suffering from.

In 2022, the number of smartphone users in Germany was around 67.6 million. According to estimates, this number could be as high as 72 million by 2027.

Especially among younger generations, it is hard to imagine everyday life without smartphones. In 2022, more than 95 percent of people aged 14 to 49 had a smartphone.

But smartphone use can also cause side effects. Deloitte determined what these are in a representative survey in May 2024.

What side effects can smartphone use have?

For many people, it is hard to imagine everyday life without a smartphone. And the amount of time spent using it is also constantly increasing. The survey results confirm this.

Almost half of respondents (48 percent) estimate that their smartphone usage has increased in the past twelve months. Many feel that this is too much, and 49 percent of respondents think their own screen time is too high. In 2019, the figure was 38 percent.

This assessment is even more pronounced among younger respondents under 35 years of age. Here, 84 percent of respondents believe that they spend too much time on their smartphones.

Andreas Gentner, head of the Technology, Media & Telecommunications sector at Deloitte, sees “ambivalent signals” in these results. Although the smartphone is more popular than ever, many users are “critical of their long screen time”.

Although this does not currently have an impact on sales, network operators, hardware manufacturers and content providers should take this mood seriously.

Pain and sleep problems are omnipresent

The side effects of excessive smartphone use can affect both physical and mental health. More than half of those surveyed (56 percent) said they had already observed side effects from smartphone use in themselves.

First place goes to problems falling asleep, which 48 percent of respondents reported. Distraction from other tasks comes in second place with 40 percent. But compulsive checking of the smartphone can also be a side effect of consumption.

Among those under 25, 93 percent of respondents have already noticed negative effects from their smartphone use. 19 percent of 18 to 24 year olds believe that they suffer from headaches due to cell phone use.

These figures demonstrate the serious consequences of extreme usage behavior. In the spirit of their corporate responsibility, providers should focus on the quality of their services instead of simply driving up screen time.

A full 70 percent have already taken measures to adjust their usage behavior due to these negative effects. This includes turning off sounds for 32 percent and notifications for 20 percent of respondents. However, only around three percent of respondents can imagine giving up their smartphones completely.

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