Mobile internet usage in the United States - statistics & facts
For millions of Americans, mobile devices have become essential tools for communication, information, and entertainment. Even though the United States is not a mobile-centric market, mobile internet connections impact the increasingly digital lives of people. Boosted by more affordable smartphones and tablets, the number of mobile internet users in the United States continues on a slow but constant upward trajectory and is forecast to surpass 300 million in 2024.
Smartphone ownership in the United States has soared over the last decade. Users have been following more consistent mobile adoption trends across different demographic groups within society. When looking at smartphone ownership in the United States by gender, survey results show that men and women have acquired devices at similar rates in recent years. Regarding race and ethnicity, 97 percent of Asian American respondents said they owned a smartphone in 2023, while shares were smaller for white, Black, and Hispanic adults.
Even with the reliance on SMS, instant chat and messaging apps occupy a central place for Americans. Facebook Messenger and Snapchat were the most well-known messenger services in the United States as of June 2023. Editing apps have grown in popularity as users want to create and edit videos and photos while away from their desktop computers. As of January 2024, Canva was the leading photo and video editor app in the United States by revenue, generating over 8.7 million U.S. dollars.
Mobile usage trends in the United States
The share of U.S. adults who do not use home broadband but own smartphones decreased from 20 percent to 15 percent between 2018 and 2023. Due to the development of home broadband connections using 5G technologies, Americans use their smartphone internet connections less than in previous years when at home. The share of internet traffic from mobile devices in the United States dropped throughout 2023, further confirming that laptops and desktops are still the most popular devices for accessing the internet.Smartphone ownership in the United States has soared over the last decade. Users have been following more consistent mobile adoption trends across different demographic groups within society. When looking at smartphone ownership in the United States by gender, survey results show that men and women have acquired devices at similar rates in recent years. Regarding race and ethnicity, 97 percent of Asian American respondents said they owned a smartphone in 2023, while shares were smaller for white, Black, and Hispanic adults.
Mobile first? Apps drive usage
A visible trend in mobile user behavior is the preference for in-app experiences. Social media apps, internet browsers, e-mail services, and messenger apps are the most used smartphone apps in the United States. YouTube, Facebook, and Gmail are the leading smartphone apps in the United States based on audience reach.Even with the reliance on SMS, instant chat and messaging apps occupy a central place for Americans. Facebook Messenger and Snapchat were the most well-known messenger services in the United States as of June 2023. Editing apps have grown in popularity as users want to create and edit videos and photos while away from their desktop computers. As of January 2024, Canva was the leading photo and video editor app in the United States by revenue, generating over 8.7 million U.S. dollars.
