Mobile Tech Success Spans Across Demographic Groups

Hudson River activity from Liberty State Park (from iPhone).

I don't think that it's an overstatement to say that the success of smartphones and tablets is nothing short of astonishing. About a decade ago, the iPhone was still in development, still several years away from launch in 2007. The iPad was even further away on the horizon, with its launch not until 2010. The iPod had been around since 2001, but for the most part, its content focused on media such as music, movies, and photos. While the personal computer had been around for some time in the form of desktop and laptop machines, the success of the iPhone and other smartphones, as well as the iPad and other tablets, has in some ways made the mobile devices into an even more of a personal computer. Individuals select which apps to include on their mobile devices, in effect customizing all content. Once you add the convenience of the devices - they are lightweight and small, especially compared to PCs - it is perhaps not as surprising that mobile devices have become so popular. Internet access is a key feature of virtually all mobile devices these days.


The success is not limited to just the most affluent, although the usage does tend to be higher for this group. According to data from the Pew Research Center, lower income groups are flocking to mobile devices as well. 85% of those making under $30,000 had a cell phone as of December 2012, including 30% with a smartphone.For those in the $30,000-$50,000 bracket, smartphone use increases to 45%, and, unsurprisingly, higher as income rises. Ease of internet access appears to be important across the board, including the lower income groups, where just over half access the internet via phone. Online browsing is greater in the African-American (51%) and Latino (42%) populations than among the white population (24%). As of January 2013, 26% of those earning less than $30,000 had a tablet, slightly more than the $30,000-$50,000 group (24%) and close to the $50,000-$75,000 group (30%). With the rising popularity of the iPad mini and its lower cost, these figures should continue to grow. Important online activities for all demographic groups include accessing search engines, e-mail, social networking, and health information. 

---