MetaFacts TUP/Technology User Profile analysis results for subscribers
Playing games with connected devices is widespread among American adults, while only a subset use game-focused equipment such as gaming PCs, gaming consoles, or VR headsets. This TUPdate reports on the share of adults regularly playing immersive/video or other games using their smartphones, PCs, or tablets, comparing them to the adoption rates of game-focused equipment.
Nearly a quarter of online Americans use a Sony game console, a higher penetration rate than competitors. Usage is most substantial among the youngish males, dropping off steeply above age 44. This MetaFAQs report profiles American Sony game console users by several critical demographic and behavioral factors distinctive from the average American online adult: age group, gender, age within gender, employment status, presence of children, household size, and life stage. Further, it details the percentage who use a VR headset and those who play games with a smartphone, PC, gaming PC, or tablet. It reports on American Sony game console users’ competitive position by those who additionally use Nintendo and Microsoft game consoles.
How deeply have smart speakers penetrated technology users’ lives? From 2019 to 2021, has market penetration shifted very much? Which age group has adopted smart speakers more quickly and deeply than others? How different is this in the US than in the UK or Germany or Japan? This TUP analysis reports on the percentage of online adults that actively use a smart speaker.
Dan Ness, Principal Analyst, MetaFacts, December 13, 2021
Smartphones, tablets, and PCs are increasingly used to watch movies and videos. However, it is a regressive activity, being done more often among socioeconomically disadvantaged than advantaged groups. This MetaFAQs reports on the share of Americans regularly using their connected devices to watch movies and videos both before the pandemic (TUP 2019) and through 2021. The groups being reported consider age group, employment status, household size, ethnicity, presence of children, educational attainment, and other socioeconomic factors.
Listening to paid streaming music grew markedly among Americans, rising from 29% of online Americans in 2019 prior to the pandemic and reaching 36% in 2021. This MetaFAQs reports on the percentage of Americans regularly using their connected devices for paid streaming music by socioeconomic group. The groups being reported consider age group, employment status, household size, ethnicity, presence of children, educational attainment, and other socioeconomic factors.
Game-playing is more widespread than many people realize; a regular activity of 128.8 million online Americans. Those who only follow game consoles may not realize the extent of game-playing extending to smartphones, PCs, and tablets. Game-playing is an everyday activity for 59% of online Americans. This MetaFAQs profiles the group of game-players using connected devices, detailing the critical demographic and behavioral factors distinctive from the average American online adult: age, age within gender, employment status, household size, and life stage.
For most Americans, tablets are used for passive activities, from watching videos to web browsing. Game-playing is a regular activity for many. This MetaFAQs profiles the group of tablet game-players, representing 11% of online Americans, detailing the critical demographic and behavioral factors distinctive from the average American online adult: age, gender, age within gender, life stage, and number of PCs used.
Fun is essential, even when standing in line, and a unique segment of game-players reach for their smartphones to play. This MetaFAQs profiles the sizable, if a casual, group of smartphone game-players, the 32% of online Americans using a smartphone to play games, detailing the critical demographic and behavioral factors distinctive from the average American online adult: age, gender, age within gender, employment status, household size, and life stage.
VR headsets have received recent attention again after more than a decade of on-again/off-again experimentation with limited market acceptance. While the overall penetration rate of actively-used VR headsets has reached 5% for the first time in 2021, usage rates vary considerably across socioeconomic groups. Having the means to acquire all that’s needed to fully enjoy VR headsets isn’t the only factor affecting adoption as even some upper-income groups are only nominally further ahead than other less advantaged groups. The groups being reported consider age group, employment status, household size, ethnicity, presence of children, educational attainment, and other socioeconomic factors.