Developers might remain agog over mobile phone apps, but only about one-fourth of adults in the United States use them, and only 13 percent are willing to pay for them, according to a report released by the Pew Research Center.  

More than one-third of adults in the United States have apps on their phones, but a hefty portion of those folks don't actually use them, the report discovered. Not surprisingly, Pew's research found that the apps user population leans toward the young, the educated, the affluent and the male. Surprisingly, perhaps, it also found that the population "skews slightly Hispanic."

"An apps culture is clearly emerging among some cell phone users, particularly men and young adults," said Kristen Purcell, associate director for research at the Pew Internet Project. "Still, it is clear that this is the early stage of adoption when many cell owners do not know what their phone can do.

Other non-voice functions on cell phones tend to be used more frequently than apps. Pew's survey found that 76 percent of adult cell phone users use the device to take pictures, while 29 percent use it for apps.

For more:
- see Pew Research study: The Rise of Apps Culture

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