Teens Continue To Prefer An iPhone Over Having A Car

The auto industry has a lot of problems. It has to worry about workers' pension and health care costs, too-frequent recalls and the rising cost of gas. Here's something else that should concern the automakers.

The iPhone.

Teenagers love smartphones, and getting one has become a rite of passage. A driver's license? Like, whatever.

It seems unlikely, but at least one auto company is paying attention.

"The car used to be the signal of adulthood, of freedom," Sheryl Connelly, Ford Motor Co.'s manager of global consumer trends and futuring, said in a recent phone interview. "It was the signal into being a grown-up. Now, the signal into adulthood for teenagers is the smartphone."



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poot66 - 11/23/2011 1:14:37 PM

+1 Boost

If I were a parent I would be happy a smart phone is alot cheaper than a car. The problem is when they finally get the car do they put the phones away.

LexSucks - 11/23/2011 2:25:12 PM

0 Boost

Who cares?

thstone - 11/23/2011 2:27:15 PM

+2 Boost

As the parent of two teens (both whom got licensed at 16), its all about status - the iPhone is the pinnicle of phone world, equal to a Porsche in the car world.

Conversely, most parents want their kids to drive crappy old Civic's and Camry's. Which do you think has more status to a 17-yr old; a new iPhone 4S or a 1996 Camry?

PUGPROUD - 11/24/2011 8:36:16 AM

+2 Boost

Our culture has and is changing with autos (sadly) being increasingly viewed as a problem...just look at all the growing restrictions in Europe to make owning a car an expensive hassle. As to young people keeping in constant touch with their friends and what's hot at the moment far out weighs any feeling about cars except for boys on the fringe, like hot rodders were in my day. On a personal note my own hot rod never gets a second look from teenagers...seems you have to be under
12 or over 55 years of age mostly to take any interest in rods any more.
It is what it is.