The only thing not on lockdown this year has been the mobile phone with usage soaring and 36 per cent

A study of 2,000 smartphone users found almost half have used their phone more than usual during 2020, sending more messages, making more phone calls and posting more on social media than the previous year.

Phones have also been used more for reading the news (81 per cent), online shopping (62 per cent) and even dating via apps (13 per cent).

Virtual activities enjoyed via handsets also included having a drink ‘together’ (17 per cent), watching a film or TV show ‘with’ others (12 per cent) and taking part in quizzes (28 per cent).

The increased use resulted in an additional 156 calls made, 104 extra social media posts shared and 364 WhatsApp messages sent this year than in 2019.

Bored without phones

The research, commissioned by Three Mobile, also revealed more than a third would have been bored without their mobile phone this year, while 29 per cent wouldn’t have been able to cope.

Almost a third (32 per cent) feel their handset allowed them to have a bit of normality during 2020, with 30 per cent admitting that speaking to others on the phone helped their wellbeing.

Honey Lancaster-James, psychologist and wellbeing expert, said: “The greatest thing about the research is that it shows how the nation has stood strong and creatively found ways to stay connected to loved ones.

“No one could have predicted that our trusty phone would be at the crux of everything important to us, enabling us to remain socially engaged and feel secure in the knowledge that even though times may be hard, we are never truly alone.

“There is always someone out there, be it on social media, or on a helpline, or just by calling someone we care about: we just have to pick up the phone and reach out.”

Virtual quiz takeover

The study also found 10.9 million phone users took part in virtual quizzes during lockdown, while 88.2 million messages were sent on dating apps every week while unable to actually go out on a date.