More people in the US are using smartphones now than ever before

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men on smartphones

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Smartphones are more popular than ever according to a new report from the Pew Research Center, with some 64% of Americans now owning a smartphone of some kind.

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That's nearly two-thirds of Americans, and a huge jump from the 35% that owned smartphones in 2011.

The report also highlights that some Americans are relying on their smartphone's data plan for internet access, stating that "10% of Americans own a smartphone but do not have broadband at home, and 15% own a smartphone but say they have a limited number of options for going online other than their cell phone."

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This means that more people than ever are relying on their smartphones as a key access point to online services and entertainment, and 7% of Americans say they "rely heavily" on their smartphone for online access.

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While more and more people are opting to ditch broadband internet for their cell phone's data plan, the cost of smartphone plans have become a burden for nearly half of Americans - 48% admitted they had cancelled or shut off their cell phone service at least temporarily "because the cost of maintaining that service was a financial hardship."

Smartphone owners are also divided on whether or not they truly need their smartphones, with 54% of Americans saying their smartphone is "not always needed" while 46% admitting they "couldn't live without" their smartphone.

For a deeper dive into the Pew Research Center's 2015 U.S. Smartphone Use report, click here.

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