Number of smartphone users in Italy 2017-2025

In 2025, the number of monthly active smartphone users in Italy is projected to reach 41.88 million individuals. This would be an increase of approximately twenty million new users compared to 2018. The penetration rate is also expected to increase. As of 2018, about nine in ten mobile surfers believed that smartphones were as important or more important than personal computers, as stated by Osservatori Digital Innovation. The most popular smartphone brands in the country were Samsung, Huawei, and Apple.

Constantly on their phones

According to Deloitte's Global Mobile Consumer Survey 2017, Italians ranked well above the European average in many aspects. For example, they ranked first for voice search and virtual assistant usage. At the same time, 40 percent of the respondents thought that they used their smartphone excessively. Only Spain ranked higher, with 46 percent of the respondents believing they used their smartphones too much.

Privacy concerns

Excessive use was not the only concern among smartphone users: Italians were also worried about privacy and personal data protection. In general, mobile surfers were against companies tracking them online. However, there was a noticeable generational difference in the willingness to give away personal data for marketing purposes. In particular, Millennials were more willing to monetize their data than previous generations.