A report from the Pew Internet Research Project found that U.S. smartphone ownership has surpassed the 50 percent mark, which means more mobile web access.

A report from the Pew Internet Project found that smartphone ownership in the United States has surpassed the 50 percent barrier, with 53 percent of Americans now saying they own the devices. This means more than half of on-the-go consumers are accessible via internet marketing campaigns.

Different firms have pegged smartphone ownership between 42 and 48 percent in recent months, but Pew’s data demonstrates the most significant leap for the mobile web. For marketers, rapidly growing smartphone use means that the mobile web’s value will only grow in the coming months.

Twenty percent of Americans told Pew that they currently own an Android-powered smartphone, while 19 percent said they use an iPhone. Research In Motion’s BlackBerry, which has seen its user base dwindle rapidly in recent months, registered at 6 percent ownership.

As smartphones become more capable and less expensive, their growth will likely continue. Moreover, the role they play for businesses in terms of generating web leads grows every day, as both consumers and B2B buyers turn to their handsets to research products and services.

Brafton recently reported that Google believes mobile will become a primary web access point in 2012, due to the rapid growth of smartphones. Moreover, the company said that it expects mobile-driven spending to surge with both B2B buyers and consumers researching potential purchases more frequently.

Joe Meloni is Brafton's former Executive News and Content Writer. He studied journalism at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst, and has written for a number of print and web-based publications.