(MSNBC)- While it seems like just about everyone has a smartphone now, a closer look by Nielsen finds that 66 percent of those in the 24- to 34-year-old age group have smartphones, representing "the greatest proportion of smartphone ownership" of any age group.
In the same age group, 8 out of 10 of those who bought a new phone in the previous three months chose a smartphone, said Nielsen, which surveyed more than 20,000 mobile customers in January. And, among all age groups buying a new phone in that same time period, "more than half of those under 65" bought a smartphone.
Overall smartphone penetration in the U.S. is at 48 percent, up from 18 percent a little more than two years ago, the research company says.
Age isn't the only determining factor when it comes to smartphone ownership; income "also plays a significant role."
"When age and income are both taken into account, older subscribers with higher incomes are more likely to have a smartphone," Nielsen says. "For example, those 55-64 making over $100,000 a year are almost as likely to have a smartphone as those in the 35-44 age bracket making $35,000 to $75,000 per year."
