73% of Gen Z have made 'meaningful connections' with people online, that they have never met in person. Coupled with consumer comfort in making large…
UK
Technology
Consumer Insights
simple
UK Digital Lives of Consumers Report 2025
"Despite some evidence of digital overwhelm, most consumers are happy with their smartphone usage. Brands can focus on ways to enhance digital lives through convenient automated services."
Joe Birch, Senior Analyst – Technology & Leisure
73% of Gen Z have made ‘meaningful connections’ with people online, that they have never met in person. Coupled with consumer comfort in making large purchases online, it emphasises how digital interactions continue to shape and redefine various aspects of daily life.
46% of consumers have felt ‘uneasy’ after seeing an online advert relating to a verbal discussion. Concerns over privacy and tech intrusion can erode consumer trust and engagement in the online space. To mitigate these concerns, brands must prioritise transparency in data usage practice.
Technology will continue to provide consumers with the convenient shortcuts in their everyday lives. Many pain points in online life could be helped by automating less enjoyable tasks. AI powered digital IDs can one day be used for tasks such as queuing for online tickets and proactively stopping online threats such as scams.
This report looks at the following areas:
An in-depth look at the role of the smartphone in consumers’ digital lives, from how much time they spend on their devices, to how comfortable they are with their screen time, and the trade off between utility and digital fatigue
A look at the day in the life of a digital consumer: how the use of various apps and services changes throughout the day, and the strategies brands can use to engage with consumers in these moments
How brands can leverage tools to streamline digital interactions and create more convenient shortcuts to reduce consumers’ least enjoyable tasks online
Exploring consumer attitudes towards their digital lives, and how brands can leverage online behaviours and attitudes to build products and services to engage and serve consumers
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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Opportunities for the digital lives of consumers
Tap into consumers’ daily routines with tailored and time conscious digital touch points
Mobile is still key, but tools for efficiency and moderation can reduce fatigue and streamline online actions
Focus on automation to take away consumer pain points
Market dynamics and outlook
Market outlook for the digital lives of consumers
Technology and digital channels are integral to consumers’ lives
What consumers want and why
Prioritise mobile-first design to engage consumers where they spend the most time
Graph 1: daily time spent on smartphone, 2025
Younger smartphone users are less happy with their use
Graph 2: daily time spent on smartphone, by generation 2025
Tap into morning routines with bite-sized information and geo-targeted ads
Graph 3: activities undertaken on smartphone just after waking up, 2025
Graph 4: activities undertaken on a smartphone while travelling, 2025
Win the relaxation moment with timely tie-ups and sponsorships
Graph 5: activities undertaken on a smartphone while relaxing at home, 2025
Highlight how technology can solve pain points in consumer interaction
Graph 6: consumer digital pain points, 2025
Consumers are looking for the trade off between personalisation and privacy
Graph 7: attitudes towards digital life, 2025
Prioritise convenience, security and moderation to serve consumers’ digital lives
Graph 8: attitudes towards digital life, 2025
Innovation and marketing
AI hype builds with major deployments on device
MARKET DYNAMICS
Market drivers
Consumer confidence is still fragile
Graph 9: index of financial sentiment in the next year, 2016-25
The reality for the majority is that the cost of living is still a problem
Graph 10: attitudes towards the cost of living, 2024-25
Flexible technology and security to meet hybrid working routines will persist
Graph 12: working location, 2024, 2025
Online safety will continue to be a key area of concern for parents
Consumers are increasingly knowledgeable about AI
Graph 13: knowledge of AI, 2023 and 2024
Consumers envisage a future of biometric payments
Graph 14: payment technologies that consumers believe will become popular in the next five years, 2024
Consumers have more options to search for information
Graph 15: online platform consumers go to first when searching for information, 2024
Uptake of 5G mobile phone contracts continues to creep up
Graph 16: 5G smartphone connectivity, 2021-24
Ofcom reports further rise in take-up of superfast broadband in 2024
Market background
High device ownership facilitates digital lives in the UK
Graph 17: personal ownership of technology products, 2024
Smartphone and laptops are the key devices underpinning the digital experience
Consumers stack multiple technology devices, create value bundles to appeal
Graph 18: personal ownership of technology products, 2025
Wearable technology can reduce reliance on smartphone activities
TVs still hold appeal as the key entertainment device, but younger consumers value portability
Graph 19: household ownership of technology products, 2024
QR codes are becoming a habit for younger consumers
Nearly half of Gen Z use a music streaming subscription service
Graph 20: current use of music and video subscriptions, 2018-24
Baby Boomers are resistant to listening to music on their smartphone
Graph 21: devices typically used for media activities, 2024
Future digital trends
Mobile will still be king in 10 years, younger consumers expect
Graph 22: atttitudes towards the future of technology, 2024
Demonstrable upsides of new tech can resonate with older consumers
Graph 23: interest in specific technologies, by generation, 2024
Health is a key area consumers see technology influencing for the better
WHAT CONSUMERS WANT AND WHY
Smartphone use
Make mobile first a priority for where consumers spend considerable time
Graph 24: daily time spent on smartphone, 2025
Heavy phone usage evident in nearly a quarter of consumers
Smartphone native younger consumers are key mobile users
Graph 25: daily time spent on smartphone, by generation, 2025
Most consumers are happy with how much time they spend on their phones
Graph 26: daily time spent on smartphone, by generation, 2025
Help benchmark healthy phone habits
Women less likely than men to be happy with their smartphone usage
Graph 27: attitudes towards smartphone usage, by gender, by age, 2025
Younger women can benefit from health smartphone usage guidance
60% of super-users are happy with their screen time
Graph 28: attitudes to smartphone usage by hours on smartphone, 2025
Super-users are valuable testing grounds for marketing and campaigns
A day in the life of the digital consumer
Create easily digestible content for consumers’ morning briefing
Graph 29: activities undertaken on smartphone just after waking up, 2025
Younger consumers more likely to check socials first thing
Leverage location based marketing and map integrations to catch commuters
Graph 30: activities undertaken on a smartphone while travelling, 2025
Tap into travel time with sponsored messages and emails
Target the lunch break and tap into productivity-focused content
Graph 31: activities undertaken on a smartphone while working, 2025
Pump up the volume with audio content for multitasking
Graph 32: activities undertaken on a smartphone whilst exercising, 2025
Music the most used digital service when exercising
Win the relaxation moment with timely tie-ups and sponsorships
Graph 33: activities undertaken on a smartphone while relaxing at home, 2025
Digital pain points
Most consumers suffer digital pain points
Graph 34: consumer digital pain points, 2025
Concerns about online scams increase with age
Younger consumers worry about digital overload
Graph 35: least enjoyable digital activity, by generation, 2025
AI can help take the strain of admin, security and inconvenience
Attitudes towards digital lives
Older consumers could lose out as technology evolves
Divergence in comfort with using new technologies among consumers
Graph 36: attitudes towards digital life, 2025
Leverage AI in voice assistants to increase engagement opportunities
Attitudes towards digital security and privacy
Brands can go beyond the convenience of digital sign on to be trusted digital stewards
Graph 37: attitudes towards digital security and adverts, 2025
Brands need to be careful not to veer into surveillance tech
Attitudes towards digital habits
Consumers are digitally fatigued but can’t see going without their smartphone
Graph 38: attitudes towards digital overload and smartphones, 2025
Empower consumers to overcome digital overwhelm with mindful smartphone use
Advertising can tap into second screening habit amongst younger consumers
Graph 39: use of smartphone while watching video on a different screen (eg TV, laptop), 2025
Males more comfortable in online shopping experience for large purchases
Graph 40: comfort in making large purchases entirely online, by age and gender, 2025
Younger consumers make meaningful digital connections
Graph 41: attitudes towards online community, 2025
Differing opinions on regulation could see more divergence in online platform choice
Second screening is a frequent habit among younger consumers
INNOVATION AND MARKETING TRENDS
Launch activity and innovation
And AI gets embedded in hardware
Big tech doubles down on AI innovations
AI companion tech gains more traction
AI for mental and emotional support also gains traction
NVIDIA introduces AI for robots and smartglasses
Amazon aims to enhance discovery with AI shopping features
APPENDIX
Abbreviations
Generations
Consumer research methodology
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