Nielsen: Half of Americans 55 and older own smartphones

Smartphone adoption in the US has climbed to over 70 percent, according to new data from Nielsen. That means seven out of every 10 Americans own a smartphone, with a majority of smartphone-using Americans age 55+ now belonging to that group. As of Q1 2014, 51 percent of adults over the age of 55, who are also mobile subscribers, own a smartphone, a ten percent increase from Q1 2013.

When Americans buy new cell phones, 85 percent choose smartphones, from Android and iOS devices to Blackberries and Windows Phones.