It's probably more interesting than listening to their friends brag about how much their new iphone cost and how much money their fathers made last last month.

Smartphone addiction epidemic !

It's so they don't have to acknowledge other people exist outside their own 1 meter radius! They can pretend they are the centre of the known universe!

I am always on my phone too. Checking what's been posted here, checking the news and wechat.

Regarding social networks, well that's what they are.  So although you are in physical company of people you are still also in virtual company with other people.

For my wife, who is a full time mum, sitting in a restaurant or a bar might be the only peace time she gets to check up on her dozens of chats that seem to be going on at the same time. Indeed, often my wife and I will be sitting in a bar with both of us checking wechat and commenting on what people are up to.

No clue, but it helps the staring. I never leave home without my phone, I do use it, but when I am with people, then only if pictures needs to be taken/shown

It's part of the anti-social culture.  Ironically these phones apps are called "social apps", but they actually assist anti-social behavior.  There are few things more off-putting than being out with someone who seems happier chatting on wechat than face to face with the person they are with.  It's like when I wait for an hour in line for service while customer service talks on the phone.  So irritating. Chatting on the cellphone is easier.  Instead of having to have an interesting conversation with someone in person, they can just send emoticons back and forth.

I see many playing game, instant-messaging, or reading. Not sure if it's a bad thing, as far as it's not a way to avoid interaction. I read books in buses and trains, I love reading and it's the perfect time for it.

I think it's rude to constantly check your phone when you are out with fiends having dinner or just having a chat over beer. It makes the other person feel left out. Why would one need to check the phone constantly ? It's like you are expecting a big sale or your partner landed a big contract. But sadly, most of the time it's just to check to see if anyone sent qq or wechat messages. 

most people at the gym I go to come to the gym but dont workout they just sit on the equipment and play with there phone.

In psychology that's what you call a comfort object https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Comfort_object

Technology made people so distant from each other that in most situations, a smartphone is the safest little place to be. Where people can picture the life as they want it, shoot the little patch of blue sky surrounded by grey haze, or just kill time and fill themselves with the nonexistant dreams of others, all this instead of just trying to make the best of the present. Science fiction already forecast people living proxy lives, they just didn't think all it would take would be a tap screen with simplistic interface.

To such an extent nowadays that the tools allowing these communications have become the communications themselves. People buy an IPhone to talk about their IPhone, the news talk about Weibo that talks about Weixin that talks about the new IPhone. Or they just take photos, photos of themselves actively trying to look like they're doing something. Then sharing so that the rest of the world thinks they're doing something.

donkey porn.

if your single its a great way to pick up a partner, just stand in their way as they walk into you because they dont pay attention, then get phone numbers and a conversation. im sorry i stepped on your foot, its ok i have another foot over here that hasnt been stepped on to day, maybe you can step on that one after we have dinner and go dancing tonight. this actually worked twice when i was single.