The Price of Our iPhone Addiction: How Far We Scroll and What We’re Losing

Smartphone addiction is a prevalent issue in today’s society, with Americans reportedly checking their phones between 60 and 200 times daily. This behavior results in spending approximately 4.5 to 6 hours a day glued to their screens, totaling between 1,600 and 2,000 hours per year. That equates to roughly 60 to 90 full days lost to smartphone usage annually.

To put this staggering statistic into perspective, one company decided to visualize the extent of our smartphone habits by measuring the distance our thumbs travel while scrolling. This unique approach aims to encourage individuals to reevaluate their excessive phone usage.

The constant checking for alerts and notifications on iPhones and iPads can lead to a loss of productivity, focus, and even mental health issues. Research suggests a correlation between heavy smartphone use and higher rates of depression, anxiety, and reduced social interaction. Some companies have responded to this by developing “dumb phones” for children and teens, while Apple introduced the Screen Time feature to help users monitor their device usage, although its effectiveness is often overlooked.

While many of us quantify screen time in minutes, the true impact of excessive smartphone use is harder to measure. TollFreeForwarding.com, a toll-free call-forwarding company, devised a method to convert daily screen time into scrolling distance. By assuming a scroll every ten seconds on a 6.3-inch screen (the size of an iPhone 16 Pro display), the company calculated the annual distance scrolled in miles.

A 2024 survey revealed that residents of Arizona have the highest daily smartphone use, averaging 8 hours and 50 minutes. This extensive usage translates to scrolling approximately 115.37 miles annually, equivalent to the distance from Phoenix to Tucson. Other states like Georgia also clock in significant scrolling distances, sparking curiosity about the destination of all those thumb-swipes.

This unconventional perspective on smartphone screen time serves as a wake-up call for individuals to reassess their digital habits. Implementing measures such as tracking Screen Time, setting up Focus modes, and adjusting Notifications settings can help curb excessive phone usage. It’s never too late to cultivate healthier digital habits and reclaim valuable time lost to smartphone addiction.