In-car use of online radio and other forms of digital audio continues to grow. In 2014, 26% of mobile phone users have connected devices to a vehicle, either physically or via Bluetooth, up from 21% in 2013.
Edison Research and Triton Digital expect that figure to grow to 25% in 2014, according to findings in the latest Infinite Dial study conducted this year. That’s compared to just 6% of cellphone owners in 2010.
They say a “significant” number of 12–24s, some 43%, have listened to online radio using a cellphone connected to a car audio system, compared to those age 25–54 (27%) and 55+ (10%).
“The continued penetration of smartphones in America is changing behavior significantly,” noted Tom Webster, vice president of Strategy and Marketing, Edison Research. “We are now seeing activities that were dominated by desktop usage in 2013, flip dramatically to become mobile behaviors. For millions of Americans, the smartphone has become ‘the first screen.’”
More than six in 10 (61%) now own a smartphone; that number increases to approximately eight in 10 age 18–34, according to the research, which is based on a total of responses from 2,023 persons age 12+ interviewed about their use of digital platforms and new media.
