The top three uses of mobile phones are staying in touch with family and friends (two in three or 66% of people aged 40 and over), social media (54%), and banking, budgeting, and managing finances (32%), according to new research published by Vodafone Ireland.
The research, commissioned among 500 mobile phone users aged 40 and over as Vodafone Ireland marks 25 years of connecting people, reveals significant changes in how mobile phones are used. In 2001, voice calls were the primary purpose of mobile phones and SMS or text messaging was emerging as a key feature with limited data capability. Fast forward 25 years and consumers enjoy always-on data-driven connectivity delivered through 4G and 5G networks, video calling and streaming as everyday behaviours, along with a full ecosystem of apps for all services.
The research shows smartphones are primarily used for everyday essentials: nearly one third (31%) read the news, 21% use them for work, emails and productivity, and 23% for practical tasks like navigation or checking the weather. Dating apps rank very low among those aged 40+, with just 2% including them in their top daily uses – almost three quarters were male.
The findings also reveal a certain nostalgia for early-day mobile phone use, with 53% of Irish people over the age of 40 associating buying credit with those early days. Almost half (47%) associate early years of handset use with playing games such as Snake, while more than one in three (35%) people say they hold memories of choosing and downloading ringtones.
The new research also shows:
- Flip phones and text message character limits are widely remembered – one in three (33%) people aged 40 plus cited flip phones as their memory of early mobile use, with others reflecting on the evolution of text from the 160-character limits on SMS (29%) to the ‘Please call me’ feature for when they ran out of credit (23%).
- Sizable changes in consumer behaviour – 46% of 40–49-year-olds are using voice notes more often than a few years ago, followed by 24% of 50-64-year-olds and 14% of people aged 65+.
- The research also reveals that just over a quarter (26%) 40+ year olds spend 15-29 minutes on phone calls each day, while 42% spend less than 15 minutes on calls. Almost 60% of people make video calls more often now compared to a few years ago.
- While mobile use is so central to our lives, the need for in-person connection remains strongest. Among those aged 40 or over, meeting face-to-face ranks among the top three ways of staying connected with family and friends (77%), followed by phone calls (60%), text messaging (51%), and video calls (31%).
In addition, according to
ComReg’s Mobile Consumer Experience Report published in March 2026, there’s an ever-growing increase in popularity for voice notes and video calls across all age groups, with 25% of people across Ireland using their phones to send voice notes on a daily basis and 29% of people in Ireland making video calls daily.
25-Year Campaign Launch
The research was published as Vodafone launched its new 25-year advertising campaign last week, including a national TV ad, developed by creative agency Folk VML, that takes a warm and humorous look back at moments of connection, both big and small, that Vodafone has powered across Ireland since its launch in Ireland, in 2001. The ad charts the evolution of mobile technology from the rise of the smartphone to the return of the flip phone, from phones as cameras and fashion accessories to face calls and voice notes. Through every shift in how we connect, one thing has remained constant: our need to stay close to the people and moments that matter most.
The campaign reflects Vodafone Ireland’s role in supporting customers at every stage of connectivity — from voice and text to multimedia or picture messaging, data, video and soon satellite — while reinforcing its leadership as the first provider in Ireland to launch 3G, 4G and 5G, and to enable the country’s first satellite video call. Vodafone Ireland has invested over €20 billion in Ireland in today’s terms over the past 25 years and serves 2.4 million customers.
Value
What people won’t miss from the early days of mobile is higher monthly bills. At the time, mobile was primarily about voice calls. Today, it has evolved through text to data, video and always-on connectivity—while delivering significantly better value. According to ComReg* data, average revenue per customer (ARPU) has declined from approximately €45 per month in 2002 to around €24 today, representing a reduction of almost 50%, while mobile data consumption has increased dramatically, rising sevenfold since 2019.
Commenting on these findings, Sabrina Casalta, CEO of Vodafone Ireland, said:
“For 25 years, we’ve seen mobile phones transform from simple handsets into something far more powerful—an essential hub for how we live, work and stay connected. What hasn’t changed is the importance of human connection. Whether it’s a call, a message or a video chat, technology is at its best when it brings people closer. We’re proud of the role Vodafone has played in those moments for customers, businesses and communities across Ireland, and excited to keep building what comes next.”