More and more, research on Internet addiction applies not only to games or time spent on the network, but also to smartphone addiction. The main aim of the analysis reported in the paper is the relation between mobile apps and proneness to smartphone addiction.

The study was conducted on a sample of 26 students (18 male and eight female). The level of smartphone usage by the participants was controlled. To measure the level of overuse of smartphone apps, a modified smartphone addiction scale for adults (SAPSA), which consists of four factors--interference, virtual world, withdrawal, and tolerance--was used. Five categories of addictive apps were identified: social (for example, Facebook), communication (for example, WhatsApp, email), browsers, media and video, and games.

The authors’ analysis revealed that although “female and male participants show no significant difference in terms of smartphone” daily usage, female participants reported to be more addicted to apps. According to participants, “it is easier to withdraw from social apps [... rather than] control time spent on them.” The analysis also revealed “that compulsive open times and usage [duration] are good indicators of app addiction.”

The study population is quite small to draw general conclusions. However, the results and the method can be very inspiring for other researchers.