According to a study by the Pew Internet Project, 44 percent of the black and
Latino population own smartphones, while only 35 percent of all U.S. adults claiming ownership.
In addition, ownership usually correlates with employment status and urban and suburban residents are roughly twice as likely to own smartphones, according to the study.
Android phones; which include Droid, HTC Dream, G1, Nexus One, and Xperia Play; are the most common devices owned by African Americans and young adults, while the iPhone and Blackberrys are most common among college graduates and those with higher incomes.
According to the study, “Some 87% of smartphone owners access the internet or email on their handheld,” which include 68 percent “who do so on a typical day. When asked what device they normally use to access the internet, 25% of smartphone owners say that they mostly go online using their phone, rather than with a computer.”
Users under the age of 30, non-white smartphone users, and owners with low
income and education levels are also more likely to use their device to go online or surf the internet browser.
The study concluded that the browser available on these phones are used as
replacements for computer internet connection, which some owners may not be able to afford due to high monthly payments and costs.