C. Scott Brown / Android Authority
Earlier this week, I published an article highlighting a phenomenon that I only recently learned about. Called “smartphone pinky,” it describes discomfort and pain that result from holding and handling one’s smartphone, especially when using the little finger as a platform to seat the device.
As I’ve learned the hard way, it’s a terrible way to hold a phone. I regularly experience pain in my hand after using my device, but in my opinion, it’s the most natural grip when using a phone one-handed. Notably, it appears that a host of readers agree with me.
We received over 3,000 votes in the open thread’s poll asking users how they prefer to hold their smartphones. Two options received the bulk of the vote.
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How do you hold your smartphone? More than 58% of readers hold their phones like I do — one-handed with their little finger supporting the device. With my little finger acting as a seat for the base of my phone and my other fingers resting at the rear of the device, I can access the far reaches of my Galaxy S24 FE’s screen without having to change my grip. The flexibility and usability this method affords are likely why many other readers also resort to it.
The second most popular way to hold a smartphone is “one-handed with four fingers behind the phone.” This allows the thumb to access parts of the screen, but not quite all of it. Notably, 23.4% of respondents prefer this grip.
With most users employing their little fingers as makeshift phone platforms, it's no wonder that 'smartphone pinky' is an issue.
Interestingly, only 6.1% of readers opt for a smartphone grip or a handhold accessory. In comparison, 4.4% use their devices with two hands — more specifically, “two-handed, with one hand tapping and the other gripping the phone.”
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