More older Americans getting news on mobile
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More than 80% of U.S. adults get news on their phones -- up from roughly half of Americans just four years ago, according to a new survey from Pew Research Center. Most of that growth comes from adults older than 65 whose news consumption via mobile spiked almost 25% in the last year, and has tripled over the past four years. The next oldest group of adults shows a similar pattern.
Data: Pew Research; Chart: Lazaro Gamio / Axios
Why it's happening: Older adults are driving growth in mobile news consumption because younger generations have already moved almost entirely onto mobile platforms. According to Daniel Mintz, chief data evangelist at Looker and former head of data and analytics at Upworthy, the push to adopt new technologies among older people is increasing as more tech-savvy baby boomers age.
The trend also extends beyond mobile news. A recent Pew survey found that tech adoption overall (internet, broadband) is skyrocketing among older adults.
Low-income boost: News consumption via smartphone is also growing in part due to the increased use by low income households. Per Pew, roughly 80% of U.S. adults with household incomes below $30,000 get news on their, more than twice the percentage of four years ago.
