Smile please! Average Briton ‘now taking more than 450 selfies a year’

Updated

Taking selfies is more popular than ever, with the average person in the UK now snapping more than 450 such photos each year, according to new research.

A survey by Chinese smartphone firm Honor found that 85% of people believe they are taking more pictures of themselves than ever before, with men taking more than women.

The figures indicate that the average person in the UK now takes 884 photos each year, 468 of which are selfies.

The research – carried out to mark the release of the company’s Honor 9X phone – indicates that, although smartphone users are taking more selfies, the general trend now is to use fewer filters and less editing compared with previous years.

It suggests that 62% of those aged between 16 and 29 are taking more natural and filter-free selfies compared with five years ago.

Selfies in natural scenery are also becoming more popular, as are images that portray more accurate aspects of daily life – such as being sweaty after a workout – as opposed to posting images online which attempt to portray perfection.

Bond Zhang, country manager for Honor UK, said: “With smartphones always in our pockets, it has become easier than ever to snap and share content from the world around us and it’s interesting to see the growing trend towards sharing more natural, authentic content.

“Whereas selfies used to be reserved for nights out and special occasions, today we’re more open to capturing and posting images that show who we really are and what we stand for.”

Looking to the future, the research suggests many people believe communication could become increasingly image-based.

The under-30s take 27% more photos than older age groups, which Honor suggests could mean future generations will increasingly communicate through images.

According to the survey, 33% agreed with that idea.

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