Playing catch up to younger users, older folks are now driving the growth of mobile news readership.
In March, about two-thirds (67%) of U.S. consumers ages 65 and older read the news on a mobile device. That represented a 24-percentage-point increase over the past year, according to new findings from the Pew Research Center.
In the 50-to-64 group, 79% now get their news via mobile in March — nearly double the share in 2013. Overall, more than eight-in-10 U.S. adults now get news on a mobile device (85%), which is up from 72%, year-over-year.
No surprise, mobile news readership was already very high among younger adults.
In March, 94% of those ages 18-to-29 read news on a mobile gadget, which is unchanged, year-over-year.
While older adults are finally getting on board the mobile train, many are doing so reluctantly. Among the 65+, for example, less than half (44%) prefer to get their new via mobile.
Across all adults, a clear majority (65%) of those who get news on both mobile devices and desktop/laptop computers prefer to get their news on mobile, according to Pew.
