Survey Shows A Quarter Of American Teens Are "Cell-Mostly" Internet Users

The booming smartphone market means that more and more people out there have mobile web connectivity right at their fingertips wherever they go. Pew Internet has published the results of a study that it conducted investigating smartphone adoption among American teens. The study found that the adoption of smartphones among teenagers has increased substantially and that access to the Internet via mobile devices is pervasive.

According to Pew, one in four teens in America are "cell-mostly" Internet users. These teens say they are most likely to go online using their phone rather than other devices such as desktop or laptop computers. The survey looked at the technology use among 820 youths between 12 and 17 years of age and their parents.

According to the results, 78% of teens have cell phones and 47% of those own smartphones. Pew says that 37% of all teens now have smartphones, an increase from 23% in 2011. The survey also found that 23% of teens have a tablet computer, which is comparable to the general adult population. Other interesting statistics from the survey include the fact that 95% of teenagers use the Internet.

When it comes to having a computer or having access to one at home, 93% of teens do and 71% of those teens say the home computer is shared with other family members. The fact that such a large percentage of teens in America access the Internet on a smartphone is no surprise. Accessing the Internet on their personal device may allow teens to access content that parents may otherwise object to on a computer in the home.

[via Pew Internet]