smartphone dependent

Photo credit: Marjan Lazarevski

As more Americans access the Internet through smartphones, many rely solely on their phones for browsing the World Wide Web and connecting on social media. They’re what Pew Research Center calls “smartphone dependent.”

Nearly two-thirds of Americans own smartphones, up from 35 percent in 2011, and about one in five rely on mobile devices for some degree of online access, according to the latest Pew survey. But 10 percent of Americans who own a smartphone lack broadband at home, and 15 percent have few options for going online other than their cell phone.

The data underline the need for non-profits and government agencies to use responsive design in their websites to reach these constituents. This applies especially to non-profits in health care since many of their clients depend on smartphones to obtain healthcare information.

Demographics of the Smartphone Dependent

Smartphone dependent Americans are more likely to be non-whites, younger adults with lower incomes, less education than the general population. That’s an important implication for digital marketers and non-profits serving the low-income or disadvantaged households.

Groups more likely to be smartphone dependent include:

Younger adults – 15 percent of Americans ages 18 to 29 are heavily dependent on a smartphone for online access.

Low-income households – 13 percent of Americans with an annual household income of less than $30,000 per year are smartphone-dependent, compared to 1 percent of Americans from households earning more than $75,000 per year.

Non-whites – 12 percent of African Americans and 13 percent of Latinos are smartphone-dependent, compared with 4 percent of whites.

Smartphone-dependent users are less likely to own some other type of computing device, less likely to have a bank account, less likely to be covered by health insurance, and more likely to rent or to live with a friend or family member rather than own their own home.

Erratic Internet Access

Despite their reliance on their phones, many smartphone dependent sometimes lose access to the Internet due to financial stresses and technical constraints. Almost half (48 percent) have canceled their cell phone service because of financial hardships, 30 percent say that they “frequently” reach the maximum amount of data permitted by their cell phone plan, and 51 percent say that this happens to them at least occasionally.

Smartphone owners use their phones for much more than texting or basic web browsing: 62 percent have used them in the past year to look up information about a health condition, 57 percent for online banking, and 43 percent to look up information about a job, and 40 percent to look up government services or information.

Lower-income smartphone owners are especially likely to use their phone to seek jobs. Sixty-three percent of smartphone-dependent users found job information on their phone in the last year, and 39 percent have used their phone to submit a job application.

The survey highlights the importance of constructing mobile-responsive web designs that change in response to the visitor’s device, whether it’s a desktop, tablet or smartphone.

More nonprofits are recognizing the importance of smartphones. A survey of nonprofits by Charity Dynamics last year found that 74 percent of nonprofits do not have a mobile app for their organization, but 63 percent have considered acquiring one.

The main purpose for smartphone and/or tablet app for nonprofits is general engagement with their constituents. Other reasons include providing information on event listings, organization information and updates, fundraising, and a member directory.

Bottom Line: Research that shows Americans who rely solely on their smartphones to access the Internet tend to be from vulnerable demographic groups underscores the need for nonprofits to embrace mobile-friendly web designs and mobile apps.