From Access to Utilization: Factors Affecting Smartphone Application Use and Its Impacts on Social and Human Capital Acquisition in South Korea

Abstract

This study examines the mobile divide from the perspective of perception of information and knowledge inequity due to smartphone usage, exploring factors that may influence the use of smartphone applications and assessing discrepancies in social and human capital due to usage differences. A survey of smartphone users revealed that gender, age, personal innovativeness, and consumption skills were significant predictors of the frequent use for applications. Simply having more smartphone applications does not contribute to increases social or human capital; it is usage of these apps that makes a difference.