• November 12, 2008

For the cynics who predicted smartphone users would soon get bored with their new toys, think again.

A new report from NPD, the Port Washington, N.Y.-based market research firm, finds that at least half of all owners of the portable device are using them about the same, or even more, now than they were three months ago. The trend was strongest among iPhone owners, with 46% reporting that they use it more. And while smartphones are most likely to be used for phone calls, email, or text, they are more likely to be used for games than business applications.

Across all devices--which include PlayStation Portable, the Nintendo DS, iPods, iPhones, and other smartphones--music is still the most popular purchase, with downloads ranging from 4.2 to 6 in a typical month. Interestingly, despite the heavily marketed "on-the-go" features of the mobile devices, the report finds that the most common place for people to use them is at home.--Sarah Mahoney