However, it would seem all this technology is wasted on most people.

For these devices, with their GPS satellite tracking, in-built gyroscopes, share trackers, world clocks, compass and myriad apps, are just too smart for everyday life.

A new study suggests the average person uses only a third of the 40-odd features available.

In fact, almost two-thirds of people say they actually do not know all of the features that their handset can offer.

People are paying huge sums for their smartphones - the new iPhone 6s 64GB model costs around £619 for the handset alone.

Yet, it seems most people are paying premium price for functions they never use.

The stocks and shares tracker is the function most likely to be ignored, followed by voice dictation, along with the iPhone’s passbook, pod-casts and the iPhone Health app or equivalent.

Mobile payments, the compass and fingerprint recognition are also rarely used, as are the built-in e-Readers.

Most people do not bother with voice recognition, photo editing software, the stop watch and reminders apps.

It also emerged that despite our love of the smartphone, half of all adults find themselves longing for the days of the simpler mobile phone.

Stuart Wilson, spokesman for phone operator Talkmobile, which commissioned the research, said: ‘Smartphones have evolved so much over the past few years and now contain far more built-in features and apps than mobile phones did previously.

‘If you need to do something, there is a very good chance you can use your smartphone to do so, or at the very least, download an app for it.

‘But there will be many of us who remember the days when a mobile phone was nothing more than something you could make calls with or use to send text messages - and perhaps play the odd game.

‘While the endless list of built-in features is impressive, it seems many of us are paying for a lot of things we don’t use, or even know are there in the first place.’

(dailystar.co.uk)