The Real Reason We Check Our Phones So Often

The Real Reason We Check Our Phones So Often

Strategy

:

Habit Simplification

🚀 Success:

On average we check our phones every 7 minutes (2023)

🌱 Metrics Improved:

Daily Active Users, Engagement Time

Even without notifications and all our high-tech apps, we would still be checking our phones constantly. Why?

We use them to check the time.

The formula

When it works best

How it looks in the real-world

Habit Simplification

Smartphones are now the easiest way to check the time. How many people wear watches to tell the time these days? Not many...

That's because the act of reading the time off a big screen with big digital letters requires much less mental effort than squinting at an old analog watch.

This was an integral part of the smartphone's journey to earn its place in our pockets all day every day.

How it works

Smartphones are now the easiest way to check the time. How many people wear watches to tell the time these days? Not many...

That's because the act of reading the time off a big screen with big digital letters requires much less mental effort than squinting at an old analog watch.

This was an integral part of the smartphone's journey to earn its place in our pockets all day every day.

Why it works

What it means for you

Is there a habit that your users are currently doing regularly that you can somehow make significantly easier? Can you make it more satisfying too? If so, there's a good chance you can get users to continue their existing habit but with your product.

Genius rating:

Mischievous

8

/10

What's the real intention here? Were early smartphone designers really trying to help people stay more aware of the time? Or were they building a way to sell our attention? Intention is important, but so is predicting and accounting for potential misuses.

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Founder

Hey! I'm Cameron.

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Cameron from Conversion Examples and Converted Agency