HONOR to celebrate the launch of the new HONOR 9X smartphone reveals the selfie is very much alive and well, with 85% of Brits admitting they are taking more photos of themselves than ever before.

Selfie Explosion
The selfie has been popular for more than a decade, with selfie-mania reaching world acclaim in 2013 when the Oxford English Dictionary named ‘selfie’ as its word of the year. The nationwide study of 2,000 British adults reveals that selfies are here to stay, with the average Brit snapping a whopping 884 photos and 468 selfies on their smartphones, suggesting a growing need for smartphones, such as the HONOR 9X, with dedicated selfie cameras and AI camera technology. Contrary to popular belief, the study revealed that men take more selfies per week than women, with men snapping an average of 10 photos a week compared to 8 for women.

Self-Expression Through Selfies
Across the UK, nearly half (45%) of the photos Brits take on their smartphones are shared with friends and family on social media, revealing our nationwide tendency to share moments from our daily life with others. But even though it takes Brits just 10 seconds to decide if a selfie makes the cut, we spend a further 25 minutes deliberating before it’s shared on social media, suggesting that as a nation, we’re making conscious decisions about how we’re representing ourselves online.

Authentic, Unfiltered Content on the Rise
As a nation, we’re posting more authentic content in 2019. In line with the global desire to fight unrealistic beauty standards portrayed in the media, make up free selfies are on the rise, particularly amongst young people, with 62% of today’s 16 to 29-year olds confessing they take more natural selfies now compared to back in 2014. The study also found that Brits are embracing the #NoFilter trend, with 57% of people joining the movement and posting more unfiltered images to show off their authentic selves versus five years ago, rising to 62% of 16 to 29-year-olds. Meanwhile, six in ten (60%) revealed they are sharing more photos that depict “the real me”.

Capturing The Good, The Bad & The Ugly
With smartphones always by our sides, the increasing trend to take photos at any given moment has led to new break out genres of selfies emerging, with Brits willing to bare all and share more intimate insights into their daily lives, rather than trying to portray perfection. The ‘sweaty post-workout’ selfie, the ‘cuddling my pet’ selfie, the ‘in bed with my partner’ selfie and ‘just got out of bed’ selfies have gained traction in 2019, highlighting a shift towards posting our daily highs and lows, rather than just promoting our ‘highlights reel’. The groupfie has also inspired Brits with 26% regularly taking selfies with all their best friends.

Nature Over Nightclubs
Shots of the natural world are also on the rise in 2019, perhaps driven by the global movement of eco-conscious millennials putting more emphasis on the environment. With time spent in the great outdoors lauded as one of the best ways to boost your health and wellbeing, it seems Brits are keen to exhibit themselves amongst nature, with natural scenery, beaches and the ocean all making the hit list of most common snaps in 2019. The study also revealed that Brits are more than three times likely to post a photo of themselves in the great outdoors than in a nightclub, indicating a move towards documenting healthier lifestyles. The desire to capture expansive views has also led to the emergence of triple-lens cameras in smartphones like the HONOR 9X, which includes super wide-angle lens technology, making it easier than ever to shoot landscapes.

Influencing Others Through the Power of Imagery
In a period of much social change, the research also revealed that today’s Brits use imagery to express ideas and shape opinions on social causes such as climate change. Three in five (61%) admit they post photos on social media to spread the word about issues that are important to them and causes they believe in. Meanwhile, over half of Brits (51%) reveal they have changed their minds about an important social issue after being exposed to an image and a further 51% believe images on social media provide a more accurate representation of social issues these days, compared to other forms of media such as TV and newspapers.

2020 and Beyond
As the famous saying goes, a picture tells a thousand words and it seems image sharing is here to stay in 2020 and beyond. Across the board, the study found that 16-29-year-olds take 27% more photos on their smartphones than those over 30, suggesting that the next generation are likely to increasingly communicate through imagery, using social media to inspire and engage their audiences. With the average Brit exposed to 37 images a day or a whopping 13,505 a year, one third (33%) of Brits go as far to say they could imagine communicating solely through images in the future.

“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,” said Bond Zhang, Country Manager of HONOR UK. “The brand new HONOR 9X is kitted out with a 48MP Triple AI Camera and a pop-up selfie camera, making it easier than ever to capture extraordinary images of the moments that matter.”

Regional Trends
Looking across the UK, Stoke on Trent is the selfie capital of the UK, with people in the Potteries taking more selfies per week (12) than anywhere else in the UK, compared to a national average of 9. Second on the list is Birmingham and Oxford, posing for 11 selfies each week, followed by people living in Leicester (10 each a week). Nottingham residents are the biggest fitness fanatics, taking the most post-workout shots (16%), while neighbouring Leicester appears to be the most body confident, taking more photos of their body (17%) than anywhere else in the country this year. The nation’s animal lovers reside in Wales, with Cardiff-dwellers taking the crown for snapping the most photos with their furry friends (27%) while the nation’s foodies reside in Norwich, taking significantly more shots of their breakfast, coffee and dinner than anywhere else in the country (57%).

Featuring a 48MP Triple Camera set up on the back and a 16MP Pop Up Selfie Camera at the front, the HONOR 9X takes stunning studio-quality shots for just £249.99, while its 4,000mAH battery life means you never have to worry about running out of charge when capturing all of life’s great moments For more information, visit www.hihonor.com/uk