Two-thirds of Americans now own a smartphone

Smartphone uptake in the US continues to rise with 65 percent of all Americans now in possession of at lease one of the devices.

According to consumer research firm Nielsen, smartphones are now more common than game consoles (46 percent) and digital cable (54 percent).

The figures published in the firm’s most recent Digital Consumer Report also indicate that there has been a solid rise in the amount of smartphone owners in the US over the last few years, with the figures for 2011 at 44 percent.

Americans are also more tech-loaded than ever, with an average of four devices per person. Tablet uptake has also sharply increased to 29 percent, compared to just 5 percent two years ago.

That shift toward mobile is affecting how many spend their free time. Americans spent an average of 34 hours per month using mobile apps and browsers in 2013; that’s more time than they spent online with their PCs, which consumed 27 hours.

Social networking use on mobiles is surging too, as opposed to a decline on desktops.

Source: Engadget