Smartphone usage on the rise in the US, security concerns still exist - report

According to the 2013 Mobile Consumer Habits study released today by credentials management company Jumio and conducted online by Harris Interactive, nearly three-quarters (72 percent) of respondents report being within five feet of their smartphones the majority of the time, and admit they use their devices in some unusual places. Nowhere seems to be off limits, with some adults using their smartphones: in a movie theater – 35 percent; during a dinner date – 33 percent; at a child’s or school function – 32 percent; in church or a place of worship – 19 percent; while in the shower – 12 percent. Despite the many warnings tied to the dangers of talking or texting while driving, more than one-half (55 percent) of US consumers admit to using their smartphone while driving.

Additionally, the report has revealed that almost one in 10 (9 percent) adults admitting they’ve used their phone during sex. The young are even more daring and comfortable with their smartphones as strange bedfellows; this number rises to one in five (20 percent) among those aged between 18-34. When even the most intimate of moments isn’t a cell phone-free zone, perhaps it’s no coincidence that 12 percent of respondents in a relationship said they believe their smart phone gets in the way of that relationship.

The report has also found that the majority (59 percent) of US consumers keep their phone password protected. However, people still fear what will happen if their phone ends up in someone else’s hands, which may be tied to the fact that nearly three in 10 adults (29 percent) admit to snooping on someone else’s phone. When it comes to their primary concern over losing their smartphone, US consumers are most worried about theft of personal information – 65 percent; losing contact with others – 58 percent; calls being made on their behalf – 39 percent; someone logging into their social profiles – 33 percent; someone using their mobile payment options – 26 percent.

Finally, the report has revealed that single respondents seem more concerned about privacy than their married counterparts, being more likely to password protect their phones than those who are married (69 percent vs. 55 percent). At the same time, two in five (42 percent) single smartphone owners admit to snooping on someone else’s phone, while only one-quarter (25 percent) of married people say the same. Younger adults, aged 18-34 (47 percent), are more likely to snoop than those aged 35+, but some older adults still admit to poking around on someone else’s phone [35-44 (29 percent); 45-54 (21 percent); 55+ (9 percent)].