Almost everywhere I turn, I see an iPhone: at work, on the soccer field, on the street. My boyfriend and Mom both have them. Clearly these devices appeal to a lot of people, and we’ve heard the iPhone described as “more than just a phone” by owners. But what does that mean? How else are people using their iPhones?

We explored these questions in the most recent fielding of Compete’s Smartphone Intelligence survey. Two areas where iPhone owners really used their devices differently from other Smartphone owners are coincidentally two of my favorite pastimes: shopping and travel!

Our latest results showed that iPhone owners are using their devices more than other Smartphone owners to help them make purchase decisions while they shop and to manage logistics/get information when on the road or considering travel.

Let’s start with a look at how Smartphone owners use their devices to shop.

The top half of the chart looks at the percentage of people who use their device to look at 3rd party product reviews when considering a purchase, while the bottom half looks at the percentage of people who use their device to check the price of item they are considering.

iPhone owners were about twice as likely to perform both of these activities, and do so much more frequently than other Smartphone owners.

Let’s look at the findings around travel. More than three quarters (77%) of all Smartphone owners said that they will either be planning or taking a trip in the next 6 months, the majority (81%) for leisure. We found that iPhone owners in particular used their devices in the planning and logistics of their trip.

The chart above shows the likelihood of respondents to use their mobile device for a variety of travel related activities during their next trip. The red bar represents iPhone owners, the blue bar other Smartphone owners . We can see that iPhone owners are more likely to use their device to help them with their travel plans in every way we asked about. For example, over half said it was likely they would use their device to get local information and check their flight, compared to about a third of other Smartphone owners.

Shopping and travel are two clear examples of how iPhone owners use their devices differently than other Smartphone owners. Even though iPhone owners are more likely to describe themselves as “technically savvy” than other Smartphone owners, we’ll be investigating how (and if) their behaviors change as more and more applications stores are launched in the months ahead. Still, one thing is for certain: the iPhone is more than just a phone.

If you want to learn more about Compete’s Smartphone Intelligence product, please contact Danielle Nohe or Dave Kalil to arrange a meeting. Look for Danielle and Dave at CTIA (April 1-4).

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