Accenture has released a survey that shows 41% of users use their phones just for phone calls. If my trusty HP-12c calculator is correct, that means 59% of mobile phone owners use it for more than just phone calls.The next most frequently used features of the phone were texting (22%), email (16%) and not even owning a mobile phone (8%). I am a bit befuddled how that last statistic made it into the survey. I don't have Accenture's survey taking prowess, but if I ever conduct a mobile phone survey, I'll be sure to have the first question read "Do you own a mobile phone." If you answer "No" it will instruct you throw the survey away at that point.

The survey looked at the change in usage patterns from the winter of 2008 to the winter of 2009. People buying a phone capable of web browsing jumped from 8% to 23%, which is good news for the likes of the iPhone and platforms based on Windows Mobile, Symbian and Android. Even though business is a big driver in how the mobile device market has shaped up thus far, the major platform makers have to continually keep consumer interests in mind. Users don't want two phones, one for business and one for pleasure. They want one device, and that device will have to handle work emails and document needs as well as their music collection, ebooks and photo albums.

We've apparently passed the half way point where the minority of people just want a phone to make phone calls, so despite the economic situation, smartphone adoption should continue to increase in the future. It is up to the platform makers to duke it out and build the most balanced platform and win market share from their competitors. A phone that is too consumer oriented may not be accepted by the IT department for security reasons or lack of necessary features, but one that is too business oriented may just get left on the desk by the user.