NEW YORK, Jan. 12, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- A new survey of U.S. adults indicates a majority of smartphone owners (56%) purchased a product using an app in 2015. The survey shows 23% of smartphone owners took this step for the first time last year. The sampling of mobile commerce habits commissioned by Verizon also reveals rapid growth in consumers using apps to book rides, flights and restaurants as well as make banking transactions.

By age group, 70% of millennials (18-34) made a product purchase using an app last year; an 85% increase over 2014.

Purchased a product using a smartphone app in 2015 (56% total)


    --  70% of Millennials
    --  66% of Gen X
    --  39% of Baby Boomers

In addition, 55% of smartphone owners made a mobile banking transaction using an app. The growing adoption of banking apps last year is confirmed in the survey, with 23% of U.S. smartphone owners making a mobile bank transaction for the first time last year; a 70% increase over the previous year.

Made a bank transaction using a smartphone app in 2015 (55% total)


    --  67% of Millennials
    --  62% of Gen X
    --  43% of Baby Boomers

The fastest growing category in the survey was ordering a taxi or car ride, which increased 124% from the prior year. Overall, 22% of adults surveyed used an app to book a ride during 2015, compared to 10% in 2014.

Ordered a taxi or car ride using a smartphone app in 2015 (total 22%)


    --  36% of Millennials
    --  23% of Gen X
    --  8% of Baby Boomers

The survey also found that, among adult smartphone users in the U.S.:


    --  26% used an app to book a restaurant, with 11% of them reserving a table
        with an app for the first time last year (72% increase).
    --  22% used an app to purchase an airline flight; with 8% making their
        maiden booking last year (54% increase).

The survey was conducted Jan 4-6 by KRC Research for Verizon.

Verizon Communications Inc. (NYSE, Nasdaq: VZ), headquartered in New York, employs a diverse workforce of 178,500 and generated more than $127 billion in 2014 revenues. Verizon Wireless operates America's most reliable wireless network, with 109.5 million retail connections nationwide. Verizon also provides converged communications, information and entertainment services over America's most advanced fiber-optic network, and delivers integrated business solutions to customers worldwide. For more information, visit www.verizon.com/news/.

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SOURCE Verizon