U.S. — Caitlin Myers, an economist at Middlebury College, published research indicating that the introduction of Apple's iPhone in 2007 contributed to a substantial portion of the decline in the U.S. fertility rate. Her paper found that the iPhone accounted for 33% to 52% of this reduction.

The U.S. has experienced decades of declining fertility rates, with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reporting a 24% drop since 2007. In 2024, U.S. fertility rates reached an all-time low. Myers noted the impact observed in the data.

To conduct the research, Myers compared birth rates in U.S. counties that had widespread AT&T coverage with those in areas that had minimal access to the carrier's service. The iPhone had exclusive distribution through AT&T from 2007 through 2011. Myers also controlled for various economic and demographic factors in her analysis. She commented on the difficulty of discrediting her findings, stating, "I was like, 'Let me try everything I can to explain away what I'm seeing in the data,' and I just couldn't."

A separate working paper from the National Bureau of Economic Research found that geographies with iPhone access experienced reduced births for different age groups. This paper reported a 4.5% to 8% reduction in births for ages 15 to 19, and a 3.2% to 6.6% reduction for ages 20 to 24 in areas with iPhone access. Myers noted that while the iPhone's introduction explained a large portion, about half to two-thirds of the decline remains unexplained.

Myers expressed concern about the broader implications of declining birth rates. "People in their twenties, and more broadly—if the reason we're seeing this decline is because people are all depressed and alone and doom scrolling—I'm worried about us," Myers said. She also noted the long-term societal impact, stating that current workers support older retirees, and fewer current workers makes that difficult. She further observed a disconnect between economic recovery and birth rates.

Data from the National Survey of Family Growth indicates a decline in activities people participate in with peers outside of work and school, as well as a decrease in the frequency of sex. Sarah Meyer, managing director at cognitive assessment platform MyIQ, suggested a shift in relationship priorities. She said, "They are asking whether a relationship adds to their sense of safety, focus, and self-understanding, or whether it introduces instability they have worked hard to avoid."