15% of Americans ages 18-29 are heavily dependent on a smartphone for online access, according to the Pew Research Center
New research from the Pew Research Center tells the story, and one that does not surprise us at all:
–64% of American adults now own a smartphone of some kind, up from 35% in the spring of 2011.
–And for a number of Americans, smartphones serve as an essential connection to the broader world of online information.
–Smartphones are widely used for navigating numerous important life activities, from researching a health condition to accessing educational resources.
–A majority of smartphone owners use their phone to follow along with breaking news, and to share and be informed about happenings in their local community.
–Smartphones help users navigate the world around them, from turn-by-turn driving directions to assistance with public transit. This is especially true for younger users.
–Younger adults — 15% of Americans ages 18-29 are heavily dependent on a smartphone for online access.
What this means
As I often remind my clients during briefing sessions before the start of a project: if we were gathering in any city of the world, to plan a new publication, as in a newspaper or magazine, chances are that it would be totally created for a mobile device, emphasis on a smartphone.
I have no doubt that this is where the future (and the present) is for news consumption. It is also here that we need to explore monetizing strategies that go beyond banner ads.
I hope that this report from the always credible Pew Research Center team will facilitate newsroom conversation about mobile platforms and how to write and to design stories that accommodate what this platform offers, and how it is used by consumers.
What I read in this report is that at a glance journalism and the journalism of interruptions will continue to be important to those of us in the business of news.