35.9% of US teens bought cell phones just to use text messaging

IDC and SMS.ac surveyed nearly 8,000 US teens (ages 13-18) who use mobile phones. Many US teenagers perceive a cell phone as a social necessity - 35.9% of teens acquired their phones mainly to use text messaging while an additional 13.3% acquired them to talk with friends. Cell phone usage drivers differ between teen boys and girls. Girls were more likely than boys to have purchased cell phones in order to call their family or to use in emergency situations, while boys preferred to call their friends. Boys were also more inclined than girls to use text messaging on their cell phones - girls, more than boys, preferred talking directly to their friends over text messaging them.