Users of Apple's iPhone are using the device to do everything but talk on the phone, according to a new study, transforming the product into a mobile entertainment platform rather than just a cellular phone.

Owners of competing products - such as Nokia's N92 or Research in Motion's Blackberry - use their phones for voice communications 71.7 percent of the time market researcher, iSuppli discovered, while iPhone owners spend just 46.5 percent of their time with the product engaged in voice calls.

This usage pattern shows Apple has succeeded in producing a true convergence product that consumers like to use for multiple purposes, said Greg Sheppard, chief development officer for iSuppli.

Apple has come as close as anyone to achieving a balanced convergence in mobile-handset features and usage.

U.S. consumers said they spent 12.1 percent of their iPhone usage time accessing the Internet, a stark contrast with 2.4 percent for all mobile phones on average.

Furthermore, iPhone owners spent 11.9 percent of their usage time listening to music or other audio, compared to just 2.5 percent for all mobile handset users.

The attached figure presents the breakdown of average time usage for iPhone owners as well as for all mobile handsets.

Although iSuppli's research indicates that smart phones from HTC Corp. are used more than the iPhone on a percentage basis for surfing the web, the iPhone has the most volume and market impact.

Google and Bank of America recently commented on how the rapid rise of traffic from iPhone owners is forcing them to modify their support of mobile Internet activities.

Electronics Apple inc. Apple Iphone