Facebook study reveals more young Americans turn to smartphones

Facebook study reveals more young Americans turn to smartphones

A report produced by IDC on behalf of Facebook reveals that smartphones are becoming the most popular method of communicating and obtaining information for Americans in the 18 to 44 age group. Around 7,500 owners of a smartphone in this age range were interviewed to discover just how the devices were used in the space of one week.

Of the time spent using a smartphone, 84 per cent is taken up by email, texting or visiting social networking sites. Surprisingly, only 16 per cent of the time using the device was devoted to making phone calls. The Facebook sponsored report “Always Connected: How Smartphones and Social Keep Us Engaged” indicates that 73 per cent of users spend their time on their smartphone browsing the web, while 70 per cent of time is spent on Facebook. Smartphones are regularly used to search for directions and maps, according to 64 per cent of respondents, and also appear to be a constant presence in a person’s life, with 79 per cent of users admitting to only being without their device for two hours a day.

Socialising is also a time for using smartphones, with people posting status updates during the movies, dinner or drinks. This increased use of mobile devices may require businesses to reappraise their internet marketing strategies, optimising their websites for mobile use and engaging more with their customers through social networks. In 2012, 155.1 million people were the owners of a smartphone. In 2013 the number of smartphone owners is expected to reach 181.4 million.

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