Tech

Mobile Fact Sheet

Published

1 month ago

November 13, 2024

Admin

Large shares of Americans are connected to the world of digital information while “on the go” via smartphones and other mobile devices. Explore the patterns and trends that have shaped the mobile revolution below.

To better understand Americans’ smartphone and broadband adoption, Pew Research Center surveyed 5,626 U.S. adults from Feb. 1 to June 10, 2024. SSRS conducted this National Public Opinion Reference Survey (NPORS) for the Center using address-based sampling and a multimode protocol that included web, mail and phone. This way nearly all U.S. adults have a chance of selection. The survey is weighted to be representative of the U.S. adult population by gender, race and ethnicity, education and other categories.

Surveys fielded before 2023 were conducted via phone. For more on the mode shift in 2023, read our Q&A.

Here are the questions used for this analysis, along with responses, and its methodology.

Mobile phone ownership over time

The vast majority of Americans – 98% – now own a cellphone of some kind. About nine-in-ten (91%) own a smartphone, up from just 35% in the Center’s first survey of smartphone ownership conducted in 2011.

% of U.S. adults who say they own a …

Year	Cellphone	Smartphone
10/27/2002	62%
11/30/2004	65%
2/9/2005	66%
12/31/2005	67%
3/28/2006	66%
4/6/2006	73%
9/5/2007	76%
12/2/2007	75%
1/13/2008	77%
5/11/2008	78%
8/10/2008	82%
12/20/2008	84%
1/27/2009	85%
4/19/2009	85%
9/14/2009	84%
12/27/2009	83%
1/19/2010	80%
5/30/2010	82%
9/13/2010	85%
11/1/2010	84%
11/24/2010	82%
11/28/2010	82%
12/21/2010	81%
3/20/2011	86%
5/22/2011	83%	35%
8/26/2011	84%
12/21/2011	87%
1/8/2012	88%
1/15/2012	87%	39%
2/19/2012	88%	45%
4/3/2012	88%	46%
8/5/2012	87%	44%
8/7/2012	89%
9/6/2012	85%	45%
9/23/2012	88%	43%
9/30/2012	89%
10/14/2012	88%
11/4/2012	89%
11/10/2012	84%	46%
12/9/2012	87%	45%
12/16/2012	88%
1/6/2013	89%	51%
5/19/2013	91%	56%
7/14/2013	90%	53%
7/28/2013	91%	53%
9/16/2013	89%	54%
9/30/2013	91%	55%
10/6/2013	92%	58%
1/5/2014	92%	55%
1/12/2014	90%	58%
1/26/2014	91%	55%
2/18/2014	90%
4/27/2014	92%
9/21/2014	91%
12/21/2014	89%	59%
4/12/2015	92%	67%
7/12/2015	92%	68%
11/15/2015	91%	69%
4/4/2016	92%	72%
5/3/2016	92%	70%
11/6/2016	95%	77%
1/10/2018	95%	77%
2/7/2019	96%	81%
2/8/2021	97%	85%
9/5/2023	97%	90%
6/10/2024	98%	91%

Note: The vertical line indicates a change in mode. Polls from 2002-2021 were conducted via phone. In 2023, the poll was conducted via web and mail. In 2024, the poll was conducted via web, mail and phone. For more on the mode shift in 2023, read our Q&A. Refer to the topline for more information on how question wording varied over the years. Respondents who did not give an answer are not shown.

Source: Surveys of U.S. adults conducted 2002-2024.

Who owns cellphones and smartphones?

Substantial majorities of Americans across a wide range of demographic groups are cellphone owners. The same is true for smartphone ownership – though some differences do emerge, particularly by age, household income and level of formal education.

% of U.S. adults who say they own a __, by …

	Ages 18-29	30-49	50-64	65+
Cellphone	99	99	98	94
Smartphone	98	97	91	79
Cellphone, but not a smartphone	1	2	6	15

Note: Respondents who did not give an answer are not shown.
Source: Survey of U.S. adults conducted Feb. 1-June 10, 2024.

	Men	Women
Cellphone	97	98
Smartphone	92	91
Cellphone, but not a smartphone	5	6

Note: Respondents who did not give an answer are not shown.
Source: Survey of U.S. adults conducted Feb. 1-June 10, 2024.

	White	Black	Hispanic	Asian*
Cellphone	98	97	99	99
Smartphone	91	87	93	95
Cellphone, but not a smartphone	6	9	5	2

* Estimates for Asian adults are representative of English speakers only.
Note: White, Black and Asian adults include those who report being only one race and are not Hispanic. Hispanics are of any race. Respondents who did not give an answer are not shown.
Source: Survey of U.S. adults conducted Feb. 1-June 10, 2024.

	Less than $30,000	$30,000- $69,999	$70,000- $99,999	$100,000+
Cellphone	95	98	99	99
Smartphone	84	89	95	96
Cellphone, but not a smartphone	10	8	3	2

Note: Respondents who did not give an answer are not shown.
Source: Survey of U.S. adults conducted Feb. 1-June 10, 2024.

	High school or less	Some college	College graduate+
Cellphone	96	98	99
Smartphone	85	94	95
Cellphone, but not a smartphone	10	4	3

Note: Respondents who did not give an answer are not shown.
Source: Survey of U.S. adults conducted Feb. 1-June 10, 2024.

	Urban	Suburban	Rural
Cellphone	97	99	97
Smartphone	91	93	88
Cellphone, but not a smartphone	5	5	7

Note: Respondents who did not give an answer are not shown.
Source: Survey of U.S. adults conducted Feb. 1-June 10, 2024.

	Rep/Lean Rep	Dem/Lean Dem
Cellphone	98	98
Smartphone	92	92
Cellphone, but not a smartphone	6	5

Note: Respondents who did not give an answer are not shown.
Source: Survey of U.S. adults conducted Feb. 1-June 10, 2024.

Smartphone dependency over time

Today, 15% of U.S. adults are “smartphone-only” internet users – meaning they own a smartphone but say they do not subscribe to a home broadband service.

Smartphone dependency

% of U.S. adults who say they do not use broadband at home but own smartphones

	U.S. adults
2013	8%
2015	13%
2016	12%
2018	20%
2019	17%
2021	15%
2023	15%
2024	15%

Note: The vertical line indicates a change in mode. Polls from 2013-2021 were conducted via phone. In 2023, the poll was conducted via web and mail. In 2024, the poll was conducted via web, mail and phone. For more on the mode shift in 2023, read our Q&A. Refer to the topline for more information on how question wording varied over the years. Respondents who did not give an answer are not shown.