According to a new study conducted by the Pew Internet & American Life Project, 85 percent of U.S. adults own a mobile phone, while 56 percent from that figure utilize internet access on their devices.
"Fully 85 percent of American adults own a cell phone and now use the devices to do much more than make phone calls," Pew's Maeve Duggan and Lee Rainie said in a recent study. "Cell phones have become a portal for an ever-growing list of activities."
The data in question is based on surveys carried out in March and August, which saw 4,500 cell phone owners being polled about their habits. While the survey didn't reveal the percentage of those polled owned a smartphone, a Pew poll released in April revealed that around 46 percent of American adults own one.
Comparatively, during the July of 2011, Pew data showcased that 83 percent of U.S. adults own a cell phone, while 35 percent have a smartphone.
Consumers using the internet on their handsets has increased from 25 percent in 2008 to 56 percent in 2012. 22 percent of mobile owners downloaded apps in 2009, which has risen to 43 percent this year.
