Calls and text messages are no longer the main reason many younger Australians reach for their smartphones, according to new research commissioned by Samsung Australia.

The study found just 22 per cent of Australians aged 18 to 24 primarily use their smartphone for calls and texts, compared with almost 80 per cent of people aged 55 and over.

Across all age groups, the proportion of Australians who nominate calling and messaging as their phone’s main function has fallen from 67 per cent in 2019 to 53 per cent in 2026.

Social media recorded the strongest increase over the seven-year period, rising from 17 per cent to 24 per cent as a primary smartphone activity.

Work and productivity use increased by almost 50 per cent over the same period, reflecting the growing role smartphones play in email, collaboration, banking, payments, navigation and other everyday tasks.

The research also found 60 per cent of Australians believe smartphone productivity has become more important since 2019, while 63 per cent said photography has increased in importance.

Replacing traditional everyday items is another growing priority. Some 44 per cent of respondents identified the ability to replace a wallet, keys or identification as the most important smartphone development they did not realise they needed seven years ago.

Queensland University of Technology Professor of Marketing and Consumer Behaviour Gary Mortimer said smartphones had shifted from primarily being communication devices towards becoming broader digital tools encompassing payments, navigation, work, entertainment and AI assistance.

Samsung has linked the changing habits to the development of its foldable smartphones, arguing that larger and more flexible displays are increasingly useful as consumers use their devices for productivity, multitasking and content creation.

The company’s current Australian foldable portfolio includes the Galaxy Z Fold8 Ultra, Galaxy Z Fold8 and Galaxy Z Flip8.

The research was conducted by Pureprofile for Samsung Australia between 8 and 14 September 2026 and surveyed 1,092 Australians aged 18 and over. Samsung said the sample was nationally representative across age, gender and location.