• by Jack Loechner , Staff Writer @mp_research, September 5, 2012

According to The Online Publishers Association, with Frank N. Magid Associates, over two-thirds of Smartphone owners reported that they “cannot live without” their Smartphones. 44% of the U.S. internet population, (107 million consumers), ages 8-64, owns a Smartphone, up from 31% in 2011, and is expected to reach 57% by Q2 2013.

Besides phone calls, 93% of Smartphone users regularly access content and information above any other activity, followed by:

• Accessing the Internet (59%)
• Checking email (58%)

The primary types of content Smartphone consumers access are:

• Weather information (47%)OP
• Video (31%)
• Local news (29%)
• National news (24%)

Pam Horan, President of the OPA, says “... consumers now expect the world at their fingertips anytime, anywhere... over half of Smartphone users (are) accessing content on a daily basis... (with) 24% of users reporting that they have purchased... content for viewing on their Smartphones... “

The study showed that 39% of the all Smartphone content consumers take action after seeing a Smartphone ad:

• 15% of all Smartphone content consumers have clicked through an advertisement
• 12% have used a special offer or coupon
• 12% have made a purchase either on a PC or at a store

According to the study, purchasers of Smartphone content were a much more engaged and active audience:

• 79% have taken action after seeing an ad
• 31% have clicked through an ad
• 30% have used a special offer or coupon
• 27% have made a purchase on a PC
• 24% have made a purchase at a store as a direct result of an ad

Horan adds, “... Smartphone content purchasers are a substantial subset of the general Smartphone population... 29% of Smartphone content purchasers indicate that Smartphone ads are eye-catching... 26% report that ads are relevant... 25% report that ads are unique and interesting... compared to 17%, 15% and 14%, respectively, for all Smartphone content consumers... ”

Other key findings from the study include:

• 96% of Smartphone content consumers downloaded apps in the past year averaging 36 apps, with 14% paid
• 22% of Smartphone content buyers have purchased video, 21% entertainment content, 21% books and 19% weather content
• 54% of multiple mobile device owners prefer using their Smartphone for at least one of a range of activities over PC/laptops and tablets.
• 68% of Smartphone users who watch video on their Smartphones regularly watch short-form news and entertainment videos: TV shows and weather clips
• 57% of those who watch videos on Smartphones watch user-generated content (e.g. YouTube)
• 84% of Smartphone are two-screen multitaskers (TV + mobile phone/tablet); 64% are three-screen multitaskers (TV + PC + mobile phone/tablet)

For more information, and access to the complete study with charts and graphs in a PDF file, please visit the Online Publishers Association here.