As was the case in 2010, there continues to be some confusion among cell phone users regarding this new technology—especially when it comes to whether or not their phones came preloaded with apps.  May 2010 data indicated that one in ten adults with a cell phone (11%) were not sure if their cell phone came preloaded with any software applications, and this uncertainty about cell phone features was most pronounced among cell phone users age 50 and older.  (At that time, adult cell users were much more confident when asked whether they had ever downloaded an app, with 29% saying yes, 70% saying no, and less than one half of one percent saying they did not know.)

The August 2011 survey finds similar results, with 10% of cell users unsure if their phone came preloaded with apps.  And again, uncertainty around preloaded apps is highest among cell owners age 50 and older: 15% of cell owners in this age group could not answer this question.  In contrast, virtually all adult cell users (99%) can tell us with certainty whether they have downloaded an app to their phone or not.  This is true across all age groups.