iPhone rollout may account for a sizable share of early US fertility decline
A National Bureau of Economic Research study finds the iPhone’s 2007–2011 spread could explain about 33% to 52% of the U.S. fertility decline, with the strongest effects among those under 24. The analysis shows births fell 4.5–8% among teens 15–19 and 3.2–6.6% among 20–24, but researchers caution smartphones are just one factor among costs, delayed marriage and broader demographic trends that shape family formation.