The digital consumer in 2026: how consumer behaviour is changing across 5G, AI, eSIM, devices and content

The digital consumer landscape continues to evolve, driven by the rise of new technologies and shifting consumer behaviour, including purchase decisions. The impact of change can be seen in the unprecedented levels of innovations in devices, services and connectivity, as well as fierce competition.

GSMA Intelligence conducts a yearly consumer survey across some of the major developed countries worldwide to provide fresh insights into the evolution of consumer behaviour and consumer technologies in the digital era.

Leveraging data from the 2025 survey, conducted between June and August, this report provides relevant insights into how the consumer behaviour is changing across eight topic areas: 5G; devices; eSIM; generative AI; pay TV; gaming; the metaverse and extended reality; and sustainability. Further reports focused on the individual topics will be published in the upcoming months – a valuable asset for companies looking to formulate or adjust their B2C commercial strategies and offerings.