OBJECTIVES: To demonstrate the increased use of mobile phones to collect patient reported outcomes in research and to show that they are a valid method of data collection. METHODS: A literature search was conducted looking at articles published between 2009 and 2013 that referenced electronic diaries of some description.  Articles were pulled out that specifically referenced mobile or cellular phones. RESULTS: Twenty-four of out of 157 articles found specifically referenced mobile.  The studies referenced in these articles were carried out on populations with an age range of 8 years up to 70 and were split into 12 therapy areas including metabolic and genetic disorders, pain, weight management, sexual activity, respiratory and alcohol related.  Population size ranged from 15 to 994 (mean 145.6; SD-180), and subjects reported for a minimum of 7 days (up to 6 reports per day) to a maximum of 365 days (mean 107.9 days; SD-112.6).  Notably, 17 out of the 24 studies allowed the subjects to use their own mobile phone for the reporting and 11 referenced smartphones specifically. CONCLUSIONS: All concluded that mobile phones were suited to collect data from subjects.  It was noted that the use of mobiles was acceptable as they are used them in everyday life and found to be convenient; the technology was also inexpensive to implement.  The fact that 70.8% of the studies allowed the subjects to use their own mobile phones for the reporting emphasises the practicality of using mobile phones in patient reported outcomes.  Although the mean age of all the studies was relatively low, the age range was very wide and researchers can be confident that older populations could use mobile phones to collect these data.  The rapid adoption and technical evolution of mobile technologies and ubiquitous nature show that this technology is a valid means to collect patient reported outcomes.