A recent survey conducted by the Pew Internet & American Life Project has found that 35 percent of American adults now own a smartphone.

The Pew Internet & American Life Project aims to provide information on the trends, issues and attitudes that shape America as well as the world. Its most recent results come from its May survey, which is based on the feedback of 2,277 adults that were telephoned nationally from April 26 through May 22, 2011. Of this total number, 1,522 interviews were conducted by landline phone while 755 interviews were conducted by cell phone.

According to the survey, 83 percent of U.S. adults have a cell phone, whether it's a smartphone or not. Forty-two percent of them own a smartphone, which translates to 35 percent of all adults. 

The survey even broke down the ownership of smartphones among age groups and financial groups. The Pew Internet & American Life Project found that 59 percent of U.S. adults in households that earn an income of $75,000 or more own smartphones while 48 percent of those with a college degree own smartphones. In households that earn $30,000 or less, those 18 through 29 years of age are "equal to the national average."

As far as age goes, the survey found that the majority of smartphone owners are between the ages of 25 and 34 at 58 percent. Also, 49 percent of those between the ages of 18 and 24 own smartphones and 44 percent of those between the ages 35 and 44 own smartphones. 

In addition, 87 percent of smartphone owners have internet access or email on their phones, and 68 percent of these adults access one or both of these features daily. Twenty-five percent of owners use their smartphone to access the internet more so than a computer, and Android continues to be the most popular smartphone platform followed by iOS and Blackberry.