With more smartphones being used by Americans, it means more of them are using their devices to obtain information about locations or to let their friends and family know about their whereabouts, said a recent study.
The report found that 74% of smartphone owners in the U.S. use their device to obtain real-time information that is location-based and 18% of them are users of geo-social services that allow them to check-in or share their whereabouts.
In the last 12 months, ownership of smartphones amongst adults in the U.S. has increased from 35 to 46%. That means that U.S. adults who obtain information that is location based has nearly doubled over that same time period from close to 23% in May of 2011 to over 41% in February of 2012.
A smartphones’ geo-location capabilities are clearly important and popular with users, who can obtain the information when, where and how they want it at a touch of a key. The spike in location-based services has also increased the issues with regard to privacy and has caused lawmakers to take into consideration efforts that protect the users’ privacy when their location can be monitored.
The report surveyed over 2,000 adults during 2011 and once again during 2012, with a margin of error estimated to be just over 2%.
