A new study has revealed that higher age brackets of Americans are now buying smartphones.
Although smartphones are typically considered to be the devices of the younger generations, recent mobile technology news is showing that people in the older age groups across the United States are starting to become owners of these devices, as well.
Some of the latest tech research has indicated that Millennials are far from the only ones with smartphones.
This mobile technology news is the result of a Nielsen survey, which were recently published. What it showed was that among Americans who are aged 55 years and older, 51 percent now own smartphones. This is a considerable increase for that age group over the figure from early 2013. In fact, there has been an increase of 10 percent over that span of only one year. This data is quite notable as it reveals that smartphone penetration is growing among everyone.
This mobile technology news shows that most of the people in every age group now own smartphones.
This increase in smartphone ownership represents the very first time in history that the majority of every age group now owns one of these mobile devices. Out of every ten Americans, Nielsen’s data suggests that seven are now smartphone owners. Moreover, 85 percent of new cell phone shoppers are choosing smartphones over feature phones and other forms of the devices.
Among all of the smartphone manufacturers, Apple continues to hold its position at the top. Among all owners of these mobile devices, 42 percent in the United States are choosing products from that company, said the recent survey. That said, the operating system that is most popular among all of the cell phones that are owned in the United States is still Android. In terms of numbers, that Google OS has an advantage because it works devices across several different manufacturers.
Among the Android smartphones, 19 percent are manufactured by Samsung. The mobile technology news isn’t as good for BlackBerry, which continues to slip out of popularity. Windows Phone based smartphones represent only 3 percent of those in the United States.
Mobile search highlighted in new study from Google
Google has teamed with Nielsen, a leading market research firm, to release the results of a new study that the two parties have been conducting for some time. The study highlights the amount of time that consumers devote to searches on their mobile devices. With the growing prominence of mobile commerce, mobile search is gaining more attention and understanding how consumers are using their time to search could be a major benefit to companies that want to engage mobile consumers.
Consumers searching for products from their mobile device
According to the study, 55% of the time consumers spend on mobile searches is to find a product to purchase. The study shows that within an hour of when consumers find a product they are interested in, they will purchase that product directly from their mobile device. The study also shows that 45% of mobile searches are conducted in order to help a consumer make a purchase decision. One of the more interesting discoveries highlighted by the study is that nearly two-thirds of consumers actually conduct mobile searches while in a store.
In-store searchers are common
Many analysts suggest that mobile technology and the ability to purchase products from a mobile device is causing consumers to avoid traditional brick-and-mortar stores. The study shows that consumers till favor visiting stores for products, but shows that more people are relying on their mobile devices for product research. These devices, which enjoy a constant connection to the Internet, are ideal research tools as they allow consumers to find a wealth of information concerning a particular product or the brand associated with that product.
Mobile search may be a promising opportunity for advertisers
While the study shows that mobile searches do occur in stores, consumers are more likely to search for products on their mobile device while they are at home or at work. The popularity of mobile search could be a major opportunity for advertisers that are looking to engage mobile consumers. The study suggests that consumers participating in mobile search are inclined to follow advertisements that they find on websites and search engines while trying to find certain products.
