UK smartphone owners hang on to their devices for twice as long as the global average.

A new study by Teads, which covers 17 markets, revealed that 75 percent of UK consumers have had their phone for more than a year. This compares to a global average of 49 percent and a figure for the US of 61 percent.

The numbers suggest that UK smartphone owners are becoming more price-aware as the market has become less fragmented and increasingly expensive. They are looking for the most affordable options, both in the short and long term, rather than brand loyalty.

Indeed, when asked what factors would make them more likely to purchase a new smartphone, 43 percent said ‘lower cost device/plan’ was a factor and 22 percent said it was the most important one.

Cashback/deals was the second most important factor (13 percent), before ‘‘Warranty / Aftercare’ (11 percent) and ‘Innovative hardware’ (10 percent) and ‘Promotion bundles’ (8 percent).

When asked about sustainability, just three percent said that recycling solutions was the most important factor.

Ioanna Stagia, VP Global Client Partner Insights & Measurement, at Teads said: “As comparing smartphones based on performance and features has become harder over the years, it’s interesting to see consumers’ decisions being shifted to areas where brands can have a greater level of distinction.

“As consumers become increasingly concerned about the environment, the ability for manufacturers to easily repair their devices in order to increase device life-cycle and reduce impact on the planet, is only going to become more important. It is therefore up to carriers and manufacturers to decide how they’re going to approach these decisions and communicate these updates to mobile intenders.”