## 5 Conclusions  
The majority of teens did not use their mobile phones to access the internet. By far, texting was the preferred means of communication. With access to the internet via Wi-Fi and computers, teens can utilize the internet at a cheaper cost with superior interface. Without computer-based internet access, teens from lower income households were more likely than their wealthier counterparts to report using their phones to go online when interviewed in 2009. At face value, this finding presents a paradox: Those with the least money are paying the most for the internet. Once we understand that it is the teens themselves paying for this service, it becomes clear that, despite being more expensive and less elegant than computer accessed internet, mobile internet is better than no internet. While mobile devices present a means of narrowing the digital divide by offering internet access to those otherwise unable to connect, the cost is incurred by those who can least afford it. This trend is just a more recent development in the injustice of poverty, as those with the least must pay the most for essential goods and services, including the internet. This speaks to the drive to participate created by the internet; it is striking that teens with no other form of access would prioritize internet access, thereby illustrating the centrality of technical access to our society.  
It is important to note that these data were collected in 2009. While in the realm of research, the data are fresh, in the world of technology, they are already dated. Internet phones with superior technology have further infiltrated the mobile phone market. For example, the iPhone and similar smartphones offer internet applications, or apps, designed especially for mobile devices that deliver a more user-friendly interface. As one focus group participant explains, \"iPhones are like more compatible with like internet and stuff...the web browsers like on my phone...most little handheld phones...are not that great.\" Another respondent echoes this: \"Plus, you can zoom in on iPhones, so you can see everything a lot better.\" It is interesting to note that the development of apps specifically addresses some of these issues associated with the \"browser metaphor\" in the case of mobile phones. As apps are tailored to mobile devices, _i.e._, they are \"finger\" sized, the content is often scaled to fit the mobile screen, filtering out many of the hyperlinks associated with traditional PC-based browsers. Thus, we might expect a mobile based internet culture to emerge with the new technology. At the time of this study, though, most teens did not have access to smartphones like the iPhone due to the high equipment cost and high risk of being stolen at school (indeed, this was mentioned by several focus group participants). As prices decrease and more industry players make their own versions (e.g., the Droid), however, smartphones are beginning to proliferate the market and may be a game changer. Similarly, tablets and netbooks, which combine mobile phone and PC interfaces in a mobile package at a cheaper cost, could be a game changer. While we cannot predict the future, current trends suggest that mobile internet subscriptions are on the rise and networks are developing more bandwidth to support more data transfer, as in the current shift from 3G to 4G networks. Thus, the inferior internet discussed here is evolving, which is good news for teens without other means of access. Yet, for the foreseeable future, mobile phone user interface and processing capacity and, thus, internet capabilities will remain inferior to personal computers. Further, given the stability of the larger trend that the poor pay more for inferior necessities, we believe the findings presented here will nonetheless retain their relevance. That is, technology may change, but income structures face greater inertia.