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2026 Cellebrite Industry Trend Report: Smartphones Leading Digital Evidence Source

Overview

Cellebrite, a prominent provider of AI-driven digital investigation solutions, has released its Industry Trend Report for 2026, revealing pivotal insights from 1,200 professionals across 63 countries. Notably, the report highlights a significant reliance on smartphones, with 97% of respondents identifying them as the primary source of digital evidence, marking a 24-point increase since 2024, where the figure stood at 73%.

The Role of Smartphones in Investigations

Smartphones have solidified their integral role in the investigation process, reflecting a growing public demand for digital evidence in law enforcement. 97% of law enforcement leaders agree that the public expects the use of digital evidence in most cases, indicating a significant shift in how evidence is perceived and utilized.

Artificial Intelligence’s Impact

Artificial Intelligence (AI) has emerged as a vital tool in enhancing investigative efficiency. While 65% of public safety respondents believe AI can expedite investigations, nearly a third report that their agency’s policies hinder its implementation. Furthermore, many respondents cite review time as the greatest obstacle to case processing, emphasizing the need for rapid analysis of communications to identify connections.

Balancing Public Safety with Digital Complexity

In the realm of public safety, 95% of respondents believe digital evidence improves case solution rates, yet 94% express concerns about the increased complexity leading to significant workloads. However, only 62% of law enforcement executives are reallocating resources toward digital methods, highlighting a gap between recognizing the importance of digital evidence and implementing effective strategies for modernization.

Matt Scott, a police and crime commissioner in the UK, underscores the importance of gaining public support when introducing new technologies, stating, “Any use of AI or automation in policing should only occur after community consultation and when appropriate, ensuring that decision-making remains with officers and staff.”

James Howe, a detective at the Columbus Police Department in Ohio, notes, “Digital evidence is increasingly the starting point of our investigations, fundamentally influencing case-building strategies.”

Cloud Storage Adoption

The trend towards cloud storage solutions is also gaining traction, with acceptance rising from 38% in 2025 to 42% in 2026. Despite this growth, two-thirds of respondents still rely on physical media, such as portable hard drives and USB drives, posing risks to evidence integrity and slowing inter-agency collaboration.

Private Sector Insights

The report further emphasizes that digital forensics have become embedded in numerous business operations. Key use cases identified include eDiscovery (54%), data theft response measures (46%), and addressing network attacks (44%). Importantly, 57% of respondents highlight that AI-driven communication analysis accelerates outcomes, signaling a shift in proactive rather than reactive investigative approaches.

Colin Duncan, an eDiscovery technologist, states, “Companies want to be better prepared so that investigations are not merely reactive to incidents but are part of a proactive strategy.”

Implications for Cellebrite

The trends outlined in the report reflect broader usage of Cellebrite’s Guardian platform for evidence and case management, particularly among state and local law enforcement agencies in the U.S., Latin America, and the U.K. In 2025, Guardian experienced triple-digit growth in terms of customers, users, and data stored on the platform, with recent expansions to serve corporate clients as well.

For further insights and detailed statistics, the full 2026 Industry Trend Report from Cellebrite is available for those interested in understanding the evolving landscape of digital investigations.