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It turns out that Gen Z’s love of voice notes might be a little one-sided. A new study has found that younger smartphone users are sending voice notes as long as 12 minutes, but they’re not even listening to each other’s recordings in full.
According to research by Talkmobile, four in five Brits (80%) admit they never make it to the end of a voice note. In fact, the average listener loses interest after just three minutes and six seconds, no matter how long the message is.
Gen Z, those aged 18 to 27, are the most prolific voice note users, with many preferring to chat via audio messages rather than typing out long texts. But despite their enthusiasm, the data shows that their long-winded recordings are falling on deaf ears (quite literally).
Based on the findings, two-thirds of Gen Z’s voice notes go completely unheard by their friends, meaning that after the first few minutes of chit-chat, most people have already tuned out.
Older generations, however, seem to take a very different approach. Baby Boomers, aged 60 to 78, send the fewest and shortest voice notes of all, averaging just two minutes and 18 seconds per message.
And while they might be less likely to record one in the first place, when they do, they actually listen. The study found that Boomers are also the most patient listeners, often hearing the full message if it’s under two and a half minutes long.
That means the older generation, often teased for being less tech-savvy, are the ones using the feature exactly as intended.
Meanwhile, Gen Z’s approach to communication appears to be more casual and conversational, treating voice notes more like real-time voice diaries than structured messages.
Social media users have joked that Gen Z voice notes are “a podcast no one asked for,” while others admitted to skipping through messages to get to the “important bit”, if there even is one.
A spokesperson for Talkmobile said the findings show a major generational divide in how people communicate digitally:
“Voice notes are now one of the most popular ways to keep in touch, especially among younger people who want to connect more personally. But attention spans are getting shorter, and it seems like no one has the time to listen all the way through, even when it’s from a close friend.”
The study highlights a broader trend in digital communication, while technology makes it easier than ever to stay connected, people’s patience for consuming long-form content continues to shrink.
So, if you’re planning to send your mate a 12-minute voice note about your day, you might want to summarise. Chances are, they’re only going to make it three minutes in before they drift off or hit “2x speed.”
And for those on the receiving end of a lengthy voice ramble? You’re not alone, the data shows most of us just can’t help tuning out.
