New Survey Shows 7-in-10 People Say Smartphones, Tablets Are Digital Portals to Inspiration

New research from AT&T* shows Americans find inspiration on their smartphones and tablets. They believe it makes their world a better place. ·   

  • More than 7-in-10 Americans (71%) say their mobile devices are digital portals to inspiration.
  • AT&T also found 8-in-10 (80%) people say mobile technology facilitates inspiration.
  • For nearly half of respondents (46%), connecting to inspiration with mobile devices is part of their daily routine.

The report** is part of a national conversation AT&T calls Inspired Mobility. It’s an ongoing dialogue about how people connect with their faith and inspiration with mobile devices.   The company unveiled the findings today at the joint conventions of the National Association of Black Journalists and the National Association of Hispanic Journalists in Washington, D.C. Hip hop icon and digital inspiration guru Rev Run joined AT&T to discuss the study. He reaches 4.5 million people with inspiration every day with 1 tweet from his device.

“I believe inspiration can change the world,” Rev Run said. “It gives people a much-needed lift. In our current times, this couldn’t be more important.”

The new findings show people are not just using their devices for work email, launching chickens and zapping zombies.

“It’s much more personal and enriching than that,” said Leonardo Torress, executive director, entertainment group, AT&T Diverse Markets. “They’re telling us mobility improves their lives –and the lives of others – virtually anytime and anywhere. That’s a new way to look at the power of this technology.”

The report details how people seek and share inspiration with their mobile devices:

  • Respondents say inspiration is a part of their mobile experience more than half the time. Even when people turn to their device for fun, information or productivity, inspiration is a part of the mix.
  • When seeking inspiration on mobile technology, 7-in-10 (70%) people say they access faith-based content the most, followed by inspirational stories and quotes.
  • More than half of blacks (53%) use their mobile devices to share or connect with their faith. That’s significantly more than other groups surveyed. The study found 35% of whites, 43% of Asians and 41% of Hispanics turn to mobility to connect with faith.
  • Black women engage in inspirational activities on their devices more than any other group (80%) compared.
  • More than half of women reported accessing inspiration for motivation, compared to 4-in-10 men.
  • Nearly 6-in-10 (58%) young people (18-25) say they use mobile for inspiration as part of their daily routine.

“So think twice before you tell someone to put down their mobile device to tune into something more constructive,” said Torress.  “They could be making the world better.”                  

Learn more about the 2016 Inspired Mobility report.  Visit att.com/inspiredmobility.  Use #InspiredMobility when you share an inspirational thought, photo or other positive content.

*AT&T products and services are provided or offered by subsidiaries and affiliates of AT&T Inc. under the AT&T brand and not by AT&T Inc.

**AT&T commissioned this 15-minute online survey.  It engaged a nationally represented sample of 2000 mobile device users in the general population who connect to the Internet with their devices. 

About AT&T

AT&T Inc. (NYSE:T) helps millions around the globe connect with leading entertainment, mobile, high-speed Internet and voice services. We’re the world’s largest provider of pay TV. We have TV customers in the U.S. and 11 Latin American countries. We offer the best global coverage of any U.S. wireless provider.* And we help businesses worldwide serve their customers better with our mobility and highly secure cloud solutions.

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*Global coverage claim based on offering discounted voice and data roaming; LTE roaming; voice roaming; and world-capable smartphone and tablets in more countries than any other U.S. based carrier. International service required.  Coverage not available in all areas. Coverage may vary per country and be limited/restricted in some countries.

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