Lost and stolen phones could cost UK consumers £1.3bn in 2012

The first global phone loss study, conducted by Lookout Mobile Security, has revealed that of all the cities in the world, Manchester is the most likely place in which an individual will have their phone lost or stolen. According to the statistics gathered throughout 2011, Mancunians lost their smartphones more than any other city across the globe; on average two times during the year. In total, Lookout found that U.K consumers lose their phone about once a year.  If unrecovered, that could cost every smartphone owner over £150 a year.

As part of the study, Lookout has released the Mobile Lost & Found, an interactive website for people to discover the places where phones are most often lost, the likelihood of losing a phone by region, and the financial impact of lost phones.

Lookout’s data analysis from more than 15 million users found that demographics and behavior are the largest factors influencing phone loss. Over the course of 2011, Lookout located 9 million lost smartphones, which equals one phone every 3.5 seconds.

“Each day, £4.4M worth of phones are lost by Lookout users alone, and if unrecovered, it would take a significant toll not only on our wallets, but on our psyche too,” said Kevin Mahaffey, co-founder and CTO Lookout. “Safeguarding your smartphone starts with protecting it from the number one risk you face – losing it.”

What are the odds?
 
People in some UK cities have a higher chance of losing their phone. For example, Manchester residents lose a phone twice a year while Londoners lose a phone only once a year..

My phone is where?

The Lookout research also discovered that specific locations had a greater occurrence of loss than others, with pubs in the UK unsurprisingly topping the list. Top locations vary significantly depending on the city you are in. For example, in Paris, France, the top two locations to lose your phone are a petrol station or church. While in Munich, Germany, it’s a hotel or office.

In addition, people lose their phone most often at night, 67% of phones are located between the hours of 9 p.m. and 2 a.m. local time.

The top five places phones for lost or stolen phones in the UK were:

1 Pub
2 Nightclub
3 Coffee shop
4 Home
5 Restaurants
 
For more information, data and insights, visit mylookout.com.