Smartphone penetration in Finland 2022, by age group

The vast majority of Finns, 97 percent in 2022, owned a smartphone. Based on survey results, almost all respondents aged 16 to 24 years had a smartphone, followed by 98 percent of those aged 25 to 44 years. The corresponding figure among individuals aged 65 to 74 years in Finland increased to 94 percent.

Connected culture

Smartphone usage has grown steadily over the past years, making people increasingly connected to the world of digital information via mobile devices. In fact, the internet was most commonly used with a mobile phone in Finland. Consequently, the time spent on mobile phone usage has seen an upward trend. In 2019, nearly 20 percent of Finns spent more than two hours using their mobile phone on an average day. This development has also led many people to reevaluate their screen time and put down their phones. In a 2020 survey, 30 percent of respondents aged 16 to 24 years said that they have limited their mobile phone usage. By contrast, 10 percent of 45 to 54-year-olds had done the same.

What are the most common uses of mobile phones?

While today’s smartphones have a lot of useful functions and apps, communicating with others remains the most important reason to use a mobile phone. Based on 2020 survey results, 95 percent of Finns made standard phone calls or sent text messages weekly, while instant messaging was used by nearly 90 percent. Mobile instant messaging was popular especially among younger age groups, with roughly 95 percent of 16 to 34-year-olds using these services as of 2020. In addition to communication apps, the large majority of Finns regularly use mobile public administration, health care or banking services that require e-identification.