2009-07-21-皮尤-Wireless_Internet_Use_59页_3mb

Wireless Internet Use Summary

Core Content

This report from the Pew Research Center's Internet & American Life Project, conducted in April 2009, explores how Americans access the internet wirelessly through various devices. It highlights the growing trend of using mobile devices for online activities and examines the differences in usage patterns across demographics.

Main Findings

• 56% of all Americans have accessed the internet wirelessly using devices such as laptops, cell phones, MP3 players, or game consoles.
• Laptops are the most common wireless access device, with 39% of Americans using them to go online wirelessly.
• Handheld devices (cell phones and smartphones) are also widely used, with 32% of Americans accessing the internet via these devices.
• Combined use of laptops and handhelds accounts for 51% of wireless internet access, with 19% using both.
• African Americans are the most active users of the mobile internet, with 48% having used a mobile device for online activities at some point, compared to the national average of 32%.
• Mobile internet use among African Americans has grown significantly, increasing by 141% from 12% in 2007 to 29% in 2009.

Key Trends

• Mobile internet use has grown sharply from 24% in December 2007 to 32% in April 2009.
• Non-voice data activities on handheld devices have also increased:
  • 69% of adult Americans had used at least one of ten non-voice data activities on their cell phone in 2009, compared to 58% in late 2007.
  • 44% of adult Americans used a non-voice data activity on their cell phone on a typical day in 2009, up from 32% in 2007.
• Younger Americans (especially those aged 18-29) are more likely to value the ability to stay in touch, access information, and share content via mobile devices.

Demographic Differences

• African Americans are more likely to use mobile devices for online access and digital activities:
  • 63% of African Americans find it very important to stay in touch using mobile devices, compared to 47% of whites.
  • 53% of African Americans find it very important to have easy access to online information, compared to 43% of whites.
  • 22% of African Americans find it very important to share or post content online, compared to 16% of whites.
• Hispanics also show higher usage rates than whites, though the survey only included English-speaking Hispanics.
• College graduates are more likely to use laptops and handhelds for internet access, with 58% using a laptop wirelessly and 39% using a handheld.

Usage Patterns

• Laptop users:
  • 80% have connected to the internet using a wireless network.
  • 37% have used a longer-range wireless broadband connection like an AirCard.
  • 69% log on wirelessly from home.
  • 64% log on wirelessly at least once a day.
• Handheld users:
  • 41% of handheld internet users access the internet mostly away from home or work.
  • 24% use their handheld several times a day for internet access.
  • 12% use it once a day.
  • 25% of all adults access the internet for information on their handhelds on a typical day.

Impact on Internet Penetration

• Including handheld internet users increases the overall internet penetration rate from 79% to 80%.
• For African Americans, the inclusion of handheld users raises the internet penetration rate from 67% to 71%.

Other Devices

• iPods, MP3 players, and e-readers play a small role in wireless internet use:
  • Only 5% of adults use such devices for wireless internet access.
  • These devices are not as commonly used for online activities compared to laptops and handhelds.

Conclusion

The report highlights the increasing importance of wireless internet access in the U.S., driven primarily by laptops and handheld devices. African Americans show the highest levels of mobile internet use and are the fastest-growing group in this area. The use of mobile devices for non-voice data activities has also seen significant growth, indicating a broader shift in how Americans engage with the internet on the go.