98 percent of iPhone owners use mobile data

There are now 6.4 million active iPhone users in the U.S. according to media research firm Nielsen, and 98 percent of them have embraced the Apple smartphone's data features. Nielsen reports that iPhone users in the U.S. totaled 4.3 million in April 2008, and forecasts that the pending release of a $99 8 GB version should negate consumer cost concerns that have limited the overall size of the iPhone audience.

Existing iPhone users are nevertheless highly coveted by mobile marketers. Nielsen notes that 40 percent boast household incomes of $100,000 or more, compared to 19 percent of all U.S. wireless subscribers. In addition, iPhone users are age-diverse, with the 55-and-older segment roughly equal to the 13-to-24 category.