It’s become the appendage of the 21th Century. The device that keeps our eyes glued to our palms and few can do without. And new research suggests we are so dependent on our mobile phones we actually check them every six-and-a-half minutes throughout the day.

The smartphone has replaced the classic alarm clock and is now the first thing many people glance at upon waking in the morning. And whether It’s one last email check, responding to a text or reading the news, the device is often the last thing we see before falling asleep at night.

In between, users check their smartphones for one task or another an average of 150 times a day, according to a study commissioned by Nokia. Even those with basic phones will check their devices dozens of times each day.

Mobile technology consultant Tomi Ahonen, who analyzed the Nokia study, recently wrote on his blog that people make, receive or avoid 22 phone calls each day. Plus, they send or receive 22 text messages and check the clock on their phones 18 times.

“The average phone user places three calls were day and also receives three calls,” Ahonen wrote. “Where are the other 16 times? Interruptions! We have a dropped call (one per day) or we make a call attempt that won’t go through (one per day).

“We miss a call that was coming, too slow to pull the phone out, or forgot we had changed our ringing tone—yes, we all have done that too.”

[Image via Shutterstock]