The figures for use of digital resources on the handheld represent increases from December 2007. In 2007, 77% of handheld users had “ever” used their device for at least one non-voice data activity, and 42% said they did at least one “yesterday.” These increases take place in the context of a growth in cell phone penetration from December 2007 to April 2009 from 77% to 85%.

For all adults, this translates into:

• An increase from 58% in 2007 to 69% in 2009 in the share of all Americans who have used their handheld device for a non-voice data application. This is a growth of 16%.
• An increase from 32% in 2007 to 44% in 2009 in the share of all Americans who, on the average day, use a non-voice data application on their handheld. This is a growth of 36% over the sixteen month interval.

Other data underscore the growth in people’s use of their cell phone for non-voice data activities. The average number of activities engaged in on a typical day in 2007 was 0.90, a figure that grew to 1.31 in 2009, or an increase of 46% among cell users.

The increase for handheld activities done “yesterday” or on the “typical day” is broad based, but particularly strong for communication and information-seeking functions. Texting is up by 40% over the 2007 to 2009 time interval, and emailing on a handheld has doubled, along with accessing the internet.

The following chart represents growth from 2007 to 2009 in incidence of non-voice data activities on the mobile device.