Forget AI, Irish people just want a Phone that lasts!

Danny Joyce | Editor
Aug 21
4 min read

The tech industry may be betting big on artificial intelligence, but consumers would rather have a smartphone with a battery that lasts and a camera that takes better pictures, according to new research from Currys.

Despite 86% of those surveyed having at least tried AI features on their smartphone, not a single respondent named better AI features as their main reason for upgrading their phone.

AI also scored 0% when consumers were asked which feature matters most when buying a new handset.

Instead, the everyday essentials of battery life and camera quality continue to dominate what consumers actually want from their phones.

Key findings

90% would find their smartphone harder to give up for a week than their TV, laptop or games console
84% have returned home after realising they had forgotten their phone
78% check their phone within 15 minutes of waking up
80% say checking their phone is always or often the last thing they do before sleep
44% spend five hours or more on their smartphone every day
56% estimate they check their phone more than 50 times a day
74% experience "battery anxiety" at least sometimes when their charge falls below 20%
34% say better battery life is the main reason they would upgrade their phone
32% would upgrade for a better camera
0% named better AI features as their main reason for upgrading
86% have nevertheless tried or regularly use AI features on their smartphone

Battery beats AI in the upgrade stakes:

With our smartphones playing such a central role in everyday life, it is perhaps unsurprising that battery life is the biggest factor that could persuade people to upgrade. More than a third (34%) said better battery life would be their main reason for replacing their phone, narrowly ahead of a better camera at 32%.

When choosing a new handset, camera quality was the most important feature for 32%, followed by battery life at 24%, storage at 16% and price at 14%. AI features, meanwhile, failed to register at all, with nobody choosing them as the most important feature when buying a new phone.

That is despite consumers being far from unfamiliar with smartphone AI. 86% have at least tried features such as AI photo editing, live translation or writing assistance, including 30% who use them regularly.

When asked which AI features they would be most interested in, better photo editing came out on top at 44%, followed by scam detection at 18%.

The device we can't leave behind:

The research also reveals just how indispensable the smartphone has become. Nine in ten (90%) said their smartphone would be harder to give up for a week than their TV, laptop or games console, while 58% said they couldn't imagine leaving home without it. And forgetting it is enough to make most people turn around. 84% admit they have returned home after realising they had left their phone behind, including 35% who have done so several times.

Our dependence starts almost as soon as we open our eyes with more than three quarters (78%) check their phone within 15 minutes of waking up, including 62% who reach for it within just five minutes. This trend continues until bedtime, with 80% saying checking their phone is always or often the last thing they do before going to sleep.

Almost half (44%) spend five hours or more on their smartphone every day, while 56% estimate they check it more than 50 times a day. More than a quarter (28%) reckon they look at their phone over 100 times every day.

Perhaps unsurprisingly, all that screen time is creating another modern-day worry, "battery anxiety". Almost three quarters (74%)experience battery anxiety at least sometimes when their charge falls below 20%, while 34% say they always feel anxious when the battery dips beneath that level.

Why go SIM-free?

With consumers focused on the handset features they actually use every day, buying SIM-free can offer a more flexible way to upgrade. Rather than automatically tying a new phone to a new mobile network contract, a SIM-free handset lets consumers choose their phone and mobile service separately.

Benefits can include:

Keep your existing mobile plan if you're happy with your current SIM, network and monthly tariff
More freedom to switch networks or SIM deals rather than having the handset tied to a particular airtime agreement
Choose the phone you actually want based on features such as battery, camera, storage and price rather than being limited by a particular network's contract range
Avoid combining handset and airtime costs into one long mobile contract, giving consumers greater visibility over what they are paying for
Useful for travel, as an unlocked SIM-free handset can make it easier to use compatible local or travel SIMs and eSIMs
Upgrade the handset when it suits you, rather than necessarily waiting for a mobile contract upgrade cycle

For anyone whose existing mobile plan still suits them but whose handset no longer does, SIM-free therefore offers a simple solution: change the phone, not necessarily the plan. Find out more about Currys guide to buying your next SIM-free phone here.

Currys offers a wide range of SIM-free smartphones, giving customers the freedom to choose a handset based on the features, storage and price that suit them while deciding separately how they want to connect it.