Camera phones are in the hands of the majority of mobile phone users and are increasingly a part of the fabric of peoples’ lives, with 78 percent of Europeans and 66 percent of Americans owning a camera phone today.

Usage of photo messaging features on mobile phones has grown 60% over the past one year in the US and 16% in Europe, according to a latest study by Metrics Benchmark Study.

Among North American users, July and August generally represent the peak season for photo messaging, which is expected to set impressive new records this summer.

“Summer vacations provide the perfect context for photo messaging, as the utility of instantly sharing a holiday moment with loved ones is undeniably compelling,” explained the officials at comScore. “The camera phone could replace the postcard as the preferred mode to say ‘wish you were here,’ as even parents and grandparents are snapping and sending photos from their mobile devices.”

In Europe, where photo messaging is more mature and usage rates more consistent throughout the year, this summer is expected to show measured but healthy growth, with users aged 55+ driving the increase.

Photo messaging rates have risen steadily month over month with nearly a quarter of all American mobile phone users and about a third of Europeans sending or receiving photos in April.
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