Yes, they’re as prevalent in Germany as they are back in the USA. You’ll see people walking around with their heads buried in their phones in little villages just like you’ll see them bumbling along the sidewalks in Manhattan.
While you’re visiting Germany, I’d encourage you to keep your heads up and eyes wide open. You’ll never know when you’ll see something you’ll want to remember about your visit.
Having said that, there are a couple of ways you might want to keep using your American cell phone available while you’re here.
First, you can check with your American service provider and ask them about international service if they happen to offer it. Germanyhas a robust cell capability in the major cities. Having said that, from my little village (of about 60 residents), I don’t have reliable cell service with any network. Not to worry, most modern cell phones allow you to make Voice Over Internet Protocol (VOIP) calls without direct access to a cellular network. Normally this is referred to as WiFi calling and you’ll probably be able to see this in your smartphone settings.
Second, you can look into picking up a German/EU pre-paid SIM Card to support your needs for data and calling while you’re here. You’ll have a number of options