Abstract

The number of youth smartphone users has been increasing, and they use smartphone applications to satisfy their various types of information needs. Nevertheless, few researchers have addressed youth information behavior on applications. In this study, the author examined the application use behavior of youth in response to their work- and everyday life- information needs. The author collected 114 completed questionnaires from students enrolled in a middle school and a high school. The survey results show that participants' usage and perception of smartphone applications were high, and they were using information, entertainment, and communication applications to meet their information needs. In particular, their preference for application use differed by the type of information needs. Also, participants were considering cost, easiness, privacy policy, review, information quality, providers, interface design, and recommendation to choose applications. This study confirms the role of smartphone applications as an influential information source, and it also provides useful implications for educators and for application developers.