Survey Reveals America's Smartphone Addiction

What's the extent of America's addiction to smartphones? A recent study shows that most Americans keep a smartphone nearby, while nearly one in ten have used such a device during intimate encounters.

The study, which is being called the '2013 Mobile Consumer Habits Survey', was carried out by Harris Interactive on behalf of mobile credit card validation company Jumio.

The survey included more than 2,000 people from the United States (of which 1,102 were actual smartphone owners) and was carried out in mid-June 2013. (Source: latimes.com)

Most Smartphone Users Keep Their Device Nearby -- All of the Time

The findings are quite astounding. The survey found that more than seven in every ten people said they were within five feet of their smartphone for the majority of their day.

More than half of respondents admitted to using their smartphone while driving -- a scary statistic and a startling one, given that many U.S. states have passed laws forbidding such activity. Getting caught can result in a fine, but being distracted can get one killed.

About twelve per cent of the survey's participants said they'd used their smartphone in the shower -- leading one to wonder how many of those phones had been dropped and ruined (only in recent months have smartphone manufacturers unveiled completely waterproof devices).

Almost one in five people said they'd used their smartphone in a church, while more than one in three admitted to using such a device in a movie theater.

1 in 10 Americans Use Phones During Hanky-Panky

Perhaps most fascinating, almost one in ten people said they'd used their smartphone during an intimate encounter. Most were between the ages of 18 and 34 and, shockingly, only twelve per cent said it negatively affected their relationship.

"People view their smartphones as an extension of themselves, taking them everywhere they go -- even the most unorthodox places -- from the shower to their commute, from the dinner table to the bedroom," noted Marc Barach, Jumio's chief marketing and strategy officer. (Source: cnn.com)