Aaron Smith at Pew Internet in the "Americans and Their Gadgets," found the cell phone to be the top gadget owned and used by Americans. Eighty-five percent of adults own a cell phone with the heaviest concentration in 18-29 year olds and those with higher incomes.
Following cell phones are desktop computers (59%), laptop computers (52%), mp3 players (47%), game consoles (42%), eBook readers (5%) and tablet computers (4%). Click on the chart to see details.
Cell phone ownership has become near-ubiquitous in recent years. Eighty-five percent of all adults--and a majority of adults within each major demographic cohort--now own a mobile phone of some kind.
Cell phone ownership is especially prominent among young adults, as 96%
of 18-29 year olds now own a mobile phone. Yet even among seniors ages
65 and older--a group not traditionally known for its high levels of
technology use--nearly six in ten (58%) now own a mobile phone. Put
another way, cell phones are as prevalent among seniors as game consoles
or desktop computers are among 18-29 year olds. Indeed, seniors are
roughly 50% more likely to own a cell phone than to use the internet
(40% of seniors are internet users).
Higher incomes have the highest percentage of cell phone ownership - $75,000+ annual income has 95% of cell phone ownership. Highly educated people are more likely to own a cell phone. Click on the chart to see details.
Eight in ten American adults (78%) own two or more of these devices,
and the median adult owns three of the seven gadgets we asked about in
our survey. Among other factors, device ownership is highly correlated
with age. For example, the typical adult under the age of 45 owns four
devices, while the typical adult between the ages of 55 and 64 owns two,
and the typical senior (65 or older) owns just one. Those with high
levels of income and education are also more likely to own a relatively
large number of devices as compared to those with lower income and
education levels.
Read full PewInternetreport.704.560.4917