The smartphones that are too clever for their owners

With hundreds of thousands of ‘apps’ available, smartphones allow users to do anything from checking their bank balance to booking a flight.

But 71 per cent of owners use them simply to make a call, text or check Facebook, research shows.

In fact, the study revealed that a typical person exploits only 10 per cent of their phone’s functions.

Too many apps: Research reveals that people still mainly use their phones for making calls or texting, despite thousands of apps

The survey – of 2,000 users – also found more than half had felt ­pressured to get the latest or most ­popular smartphone, such as Apple’s iPhone4 or a BlackBerry.

The devices, which will be the top gadget on Christmas lists this year, are really pocket computers. As well as the capacity for the downloadable programs known as ‘apps’, they can browse the internet and send and receive emails.

The research by Envirofone, which recycles mobiles, estimates there are 11million smartphones in the UK.

While there are many useful apps offering train information or sat-nav functions, others are bizarre.

A Zippo lighter app displays an animated picture to wave at concerts, while Annoy-a-teen plays a high-pitched sound that only teenagers are ­supposed to be able to hear.

Jon Butler, of Envirofone, said: ‘The latest phones have become status symbols which look flash but aren’t fully utilised.’