A new study has found for the first time ever that the majority of Americans now own smartphones. According to the Pew Research Center, 56% of Americans who are 18 and older now own smartphones, up from 46% in February of 2012, while overall cell phone penetration has grown from 88% in 2012 to 91%. The number of Americans who own either an iPhone or an Android smartphone was found to have “grown dramatically” since 2011. Android owners now represent 28% of all cell owners, an increase from 15% in May 2011, while 25% of cell phone owners own an iPhone, up from 10% in May 2011. BlackBerry ownership on the other hand has fallen from 10% in May of 2011 to just 4%, while Windows Phone was found to account for just 1% of ownership.
The research firm notes that while the iPhone and Android have similar market shares, people with higher income and education are “much more likely than those with lower-income and educational levels to say they own an iPhone.” Nearly half, or 49%, of respondents from households with a combined income of $150,000 or more said they owned an iPhone. Apple’s smartphone was also more popular than Android among adults age 55 and older.
