Int. J. Electronic Marketing and Retailing, Vol. 9, No. 3, 2018 269 Copyright © 2018 Inderscience Enterprises Ltd. Smartphone dependence among students: gender-based analysis Wajeeha Aslam* and Imtiaz Arif IQRA University, Gulshan Campus, Abid Town, Block-2, Gulshan-e-Iqbal, Karachi 75300, Pakistan Email: Wajeeha_aslam_87@live.com Email: Arif.i@iuk.edu.pk *Corresponding author Kashif Farhat Muhammad Ali Jinnah University (MAJU), Block-6 P.E.C.H.S., Sindh, 22-E Shahrah-e-Faisal Service Road South, Karachi 75400, Pakistan Email: kashif.farhat@gmail.com Abstract: This study explores smartphones’ dependence among students through social needs, social influence and convenience and its impact on purchase behaviour. In total, 337 usable responses were gathered with the help of Likert scale questionnaire. Multiple regression analysis and t-test were used to uncover the findings. Result reveals that social influence and convenience significantly affect student’s dependence on smartphones. A significant relation also appeared between dependence on smartphone and purchase behaviour. Responses of female participants reveal that social influence and convenience have a significant affect whereas in males social need and social influence have a significant effect on dependence on smartphone. The study makes a significant contribution to smartphones producers in meeting customer needs to better develop smartphones that provide convenience and user friendly features. Also it help marketers to develop the appropriate strategies of marketing smartphones as the study provides the better understanding of usage behaviour and purchase behaviour. Keywords: dependence; social need; social influence; convenience; smartphones; Karachi; regression. Reference to this paper should be made as follows: Aslam, W., Arif, I. and Farhat, K. (2018) ‘Smartphone dependence among students: gender-based analysis’, Int. J. Electronic Marketing and Retailing, Vol. 9, No. 3, pp.269–287. Biographical notes: Wajeeha Aslam is a Lecturer in Business Administration Department at Iqra University, Karachi, Pakistan. She received her MBA in Marketing from IQRA University and MSc in Mathematics from University of Karachi. Her recent publications include ‘Students dependence on phones and its effect on purchase behaviour’ and ‘Attitudes and behavior of the mobile