Nearly half of U. S. mobile phone subscribers now own smartphones, according to information released earlier this year by Nielsen Mobile Insights. Two-thirds of those buying new devices in recent months have chosen a smartphone over a traditional cell phone, according to Nielsen. Things have changed at the Verizon cellphone store since Dave Finch joined the company nine years ago. While cellphones that are strictly phones are still available, that category is on its way out, judging from national statistics. "Nine years ago we offered six different handsets. Before Americans became entranced with mobile devices, of course, there was long love affair with the landline telephone. Now a Verizon district manager who oversees seven stores in central Illinois, Finch has witnessed a technological upheaval. Now we have 43 different devices," he said. That's up from 36 percent of last year. I think we had one smartphone.

Source: Peoria Journal Star