Pew: over half of all Americans now own a smartphone

More than half of Americans now own a smartphone, according to the latest poll by the Pew Internet and American Life Project. Just 15 months ago, smartphone owners accounted for over half of phone-owning Americans, but Pew now reports that a simple majority of Americans — 56 percent — own phones, taking into account those who have no cellphone at all. Nearly half those people who didn't own a cellphone two years ago have become phone owners, with only nine percent of Americans remaining off the mobile grid.

Pew also found that Android and iOS have an equal marketshare among US cellphone owners. However, there's a marked distinction when that's viewed by economic status: consumers with lower incomes tend to own Android devices, while those with higher incomes are more likely to own iPhones. Though Apple offers older-generation iPhones at a discount, they're still pricier than many entry-level Android devices, some of which can sell for under $100 without a contract.

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