For one in ten Americans, a smartphone is their only access to the Internet. No broadband service is available at home other than their smartphone data plan, according to the U.S. Smartphone Use in 2015 report.
Released earlier this week, the report is based on a series of surveys conducted by the Pew Research Center in association with the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation.
The report takes a look at American adults smartphone ownership. Additionally, the report examines smartphone attitudes and behaviors.
It also highlights “smartphone-dependent” American adults— those who have no home broadband service and have limited options for online access other than their mobile phone.
The report is based on telephone interviews, American Trends Panel October Wave, and an experience sampling survey conducted in the last quarter of 2014.
Key takeaways from the report include:
- Almost two-thirds (64 percent) own a smartphone, up from 35 percent in the spring of 2011
- 15 percent own a smartphone, but have limited options for going online other than their cell phone
- 13 percent of Americans with an annual household income of less than $30,000 per year are smartphone-dependent
- Latinos (13 percent) and African Americans (12 percent) are more heavily dependent on their smartphone for Internet access than are whites (four percent)
- Almost half (48 percent) of smartphone-dependent Americans have had to cancel or shut off cell phone service due to cost of maintenance causing a financial hardship
- The four most used smartphone applications and features are text messaging (97 percent), voice calls (92 percent), Internet use (89 percent), and email (88 percent)
- Six in ten smartphone owners used their smartphone to get information about a health condition in the past year. Fifty-seven percent used their smartphone for online banking.
- 18 percent of smartphone owners used their smartphone to submit a job application
- 46 percent of smartphone owners say their smartphone is something “they couldn’t live without,” compared with 54 percent who say their phone is “not always needed”
I found the report an interesting read; the differences between smartphone usage and behavior between ages didn’t surprise me. Though I have to say I never fit the categories of any Internet usage reports.
However, I was surprised to learn about the different smartphone-dependent groups.
Our country needs to take action to provide additional cost-effective fast Internet options for everyone.
Check out the report summary and more details on American adults smartphone usage.
