Tech Report: The Smartphone's Social Secret

SAN FRANCISCO (KCBS) - A recent study tracking people's cellphone habits revealed something researchers might not have expected.

The Pew Internet & American Life Project found that 13% of adults have faked being on the phone to avoid someone they didn't want to talk to.

Thirty percent of those surveyed between 18 and 29 years old said it's something they've done in the past month.

KCBS Technology Analyst Larry Magid said he's used his phone at a dinner party when he was bored with little to do.

KCBS Technology Analyst Larry Magid Comments:

"In the old days, somebody might have lit up a cigarette or done something. Well, I took out my smartphone and started playing with it, texting with it and suddenly I felt like I was doing something," he said.

According to the study, 95% of people under 30 are using it for texting.

Magid said he's not terribly surprised by the numbers.

"Europeans have been texting for a long time. We just started a few years ago, but we're catching on big-time and most of us are using it quite a bit for that," Magid said.

You can hear Larry Magid's Tech Report Monday through Friday at 3:50pm on KCBS All News 740AM and 106.9FM.

Read Larry Magid's column on CNET

(Copyright 2011 by CBS San Francisco. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)