The launch of the iPhone was one factor contributing to a historically low birth rate in the United States, according to a new scientific study.
Specifically, the study claims that the iPhone “played a sizeable role” in a decline in unintended pregnancies …
As Macworld reports, the National Bureau of Economic Research carried out a statistical analysis in which it found a strong correlation between lower birth rates in parts of the US with higher-than-average iPhone ownership.
When the iPhone launched in 2007 and until 2011, AT&T was the only carrier for the phone. The researchers used this “to isolate an iPhone-specific channel” and compared birth rates in areas with a high AT&T customer base to areas where competitors such as Verizon were stronger.
The authors of the study claim the data supports their conclusion.
