In what looks like at least partial confirmation of Microsoft’s strategy with its KIN social phones, a new Pew Internet & American Life Project study puts a spotlight on teen cell-phone use. The research shows that text messaging among American teens spiked in the past 18 months, from 38 percent of teens texting friends daily in February 2008 to 54 percent in September 2009. In fact, the mobile phone has become the communication hub of choice for most American teens.
Texting is now the preferred channel of basic communication between teens and their friends. Actual phone calls are a close second, Pew reported. What’s more, 75 percent of 12- to 17-year-olds own cell phones, up 45 percent from 2004, and teens view the devices as indispensable.
Does this mean more handset makers will target the teen market? “There’s always room for more devices,” said Michael Gartenberg, a partner at Altimeter Group. “We’re seeing younger and younger demographics get phones, and we’re also seeing more sophisticated users across all demographics. So I think the functionality is going to grow.”
Teen Text-a-holics?
Pew found that text messaging has become the primary way teens reach their friends, surpassing face-to-face contact, e-mail, instant messaging, and voice calling. However, voice calling is still the preferred mode for reaching parents for most teens.
Drilling deeper into the social data, 72 percent of teens — and 88 percent of teen cell-phone users — send text messages. That’s up from 51 percent of texting teens in 2006. And more than half of teens — 54 percent — are daily texters.
Frequency is one thing, and quantity is another. Pew reported teens are sending large quantities of text messages every day. Half of teens send 50 or more text messages a day, or 1,500 texts a month. About a third send more than 100 texts…