Most online consumers (53%) now own a smartphone or Web-enabled mobile device, and among them 35% say they participated in some type of mobile shopping in the previous 12 months, such as comparing products and prices, up from 17% who said so a year earlier, according to a survey from PriceGrabber.

Among consumers surveyed who own a Web-enabled mobile phone, nearly one-half (47%) say they have used their device to access a social networking site in the past 12 months—more than twice the 22% who said so a year earlier.

In addition, 77% of consumers who own a Web-enabled mobile phone say they have used their device to check weather forecasts (up from 55%), and 67% have used their mobile to find driving directions (up from 48%).

Below, other findings from the PriceGrabber's Smartphone Shopping Behavior study.

Purchasing via Mobile

Only 13% of consumers who own a Web-enabled mobile device say they have actually made purchases via mobile, up from 10% who said so a year earlier. However, nearly one-quarter (22%) say they use their mobile to compare prices, up from 16%.

Still, 65% say they don't shop with their mobile device, compared with 69% who said so a year earlier.

Among those who have made purchases via mobile device, 61% say they have purchased digital content, such as mobile ringtones, applications, and music; 57% have purchased consumer electronics goods, up from the 51% who said so in 2009; and 42% have bought books (up from 36%).

Fewer consumers report purchasing more-expensive goods in 2010 than in 2009, such as computers (31% vs. 37%) and jewelry (16% vs. 20%).

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Future Mobile Activities

Nearly one-quarter (22%) of consumers who own a mobile phone (with or without Web-enablement) say they plan to make a purchase using their mobile in the next 12 months, while 24% expect to compare prices using their mobile.

Still, 49% say they would never be interested in purchasing via mobile device and 52% say they would never be interested in mobile coupons.

Other findings:

• 32% of consumers who own Web-enabled phones say they don't purchase from their phones because the process takes too much time, whereas 26% say mobile transactions are too difficult to complete.
• Online shoppers age 25-34 have the highest ownership of Web-enabled phones (66%) and probability of ownership in the next 12 months (43%).
• The iPhone and Android smartphones are most sought after by online consumers: 14% say they plan to buy an iPhone in the next 12 months and 8% plan to buy an Android phone; 7% plan to buy a BlackBerry.

About the data: This report is base on a survey of 2,445 online consumers conducted from March 26 to April 12, 2010 by PriceGrabber.com.