Smartphone adoption among moms has risen 64 percent in less than two years, according to a study by BabyCenter in San Francisco.
The 21st Century Mobile Mom Report revealed that mobile phones – and smartphones in particular – have become indispensible to moms, who are 18 percent more likely than average to have a smartphone. The study captures the opinions and behaviors of more than 5,000 U.S. moms and members of the general population.
More than half (53 percent) of the women surveyed said they purchased a smartphone as a direct result of becoming a mom. In the transition to motherhood, the phone went from being used primarily as an address book and text messages, to recording every precious moment with the new baby – use of the camera feature shot up by 78 percent to first place, and same with the video camera, which increased by 167 percent to second most popular feature.
The ultimate multi-tasker, moms use their smartphones to manage more than just the family schedule. One-third of moms (33 percent) have used their smartphone for health and wellness in the past month, making a mom 50 percent more likely to do so than average.
Speaking of health and wellness, a new report has been issued by the World Health Organization’s International Agency for Research on Cancer.
Moms may want to invest in a hands-free device or focus on texting, as recommended by WHO, which issued a statement this week classifying radiofrequency electromagnetic fields as “possibly carcinogenic to humans.” The organization cites an increased risk for glioma, a malignant type of brain cancer associated with wireless phone use.