Smartphones

The most popular category of apps downloaded by cell phone and tablet users are ones that provide regular updates on news, weather, sports or stocks. Nearly three-quarters (74%) of app downloaders have used an app that serves one or more of these functions.

Lee Rainie spoke about “As learning goes mobile” at the Educause 2011 annual conference. He described the Project’s latest findings about how people (especially young adults) use mobile devices, including smartphones and tablet computers.

The recently announced iPhone 4S triggered huge anticipation online last week, with many tech bloggers expecting an iPhone 5 instead. Changes to social networks Facebook and Google+ also fueled the online conversation. And the protests on Wall Street were among the top subjects on YouTube and Twitter.

Nearly half (47%) of American adults get at least some local news and information via their smartphones or tablet computers.

55% of smartphone owners use their phones to get location-based directions or recommendations, while geosocial services and location-tagging features are less popular.

A quarter of smartphone users go online mostly using their mobile device.

More than a third of adults own a smartphone.

35% of US adults own a smartphone of some kind, and one quarter of smartphone owners say that their phone is where they do most of their online browsing.

Along with asking about smartphone adoption and usage in our May 2011 survey, we also included a question that asked cell phone owners to provide the one word that best describes how they feel about their phones.

35% of U.S. adults have cell phones with apps, but only 24% of adults actually use them. Apps users are younger, more educated, and more affluent than other cell phone users.