The Pew Internet & American Life Project has released its annual findings on how Americans use their cell phones. Other than talking on the phone (it was a phone survey, after all), most of us use our phones for texting and picture taking.
From Pew:
As in previous Pew Internet surveys of mobile usage, texting and picture-taking remain the most common mobile phone activities—73% of cell owners engage in each of these—followed by sending photos or videos to others (54%) and accessing the internet (44%). The two least prevalent activities (among the 15 we inquired about) are accessing Twitter and using one’s phone to take part in a video call or chat (6% of cell owners do each of these).
People interacting with younger cell phone users take note.
30% of cell phone users aged 18-29 say they pretend to use their cell phone to avoid interacting with people around them.
The avoidance technique is used significantly more by this age group than by others (11% of those 30-49 said they do this, 6% of those 50-64, and 2% of those 65 and older).
So younger users... teach the elders.
How is this best done? Do you pretend to take a call? Or do you just glance down at your device when you feel eye contact coming your way?
Or maybe you really are playing Angry Birds.