Dan Ness, Principal Analyst, MetaFacts, May 3, 2018 Millennials have been getting a bad rap lately, with pundits suggesting that they’re squandering their financial futures on avocado toast or cold brew. While our TUP study doesn’t track café treats, we’re finding robust spending on technology devices and services by millennials. Among millennials, homeowners outspend their…
Facebook avoiders have strongest share among younger adults [TUPdate]
Dan Ness, Principal Analyst, MetaFacts, April 10, 2018 Younger adults are moving away from Facebook, even while they continue to use other social networks. The highest share of adults actively using social networks, although not using Facebook, are adults age 18 to 24. The highest share is among males age 18 to 24, with 15%…
Smartphones rise, PCs and printers float, tablets waver – user trends [TUPdate]
Dan Ness, Principal Analyst, MetaFacts, March 23, 2018
The number of connected adults continues to rise in the US. Based on our TUP/Technology User Profile 2017 wave, there are 212.6 million adults who regularly connect to the Internet using a PC, mobile phone, tablet, or game console. This number is up 18.9 million from the 193.8 million adults we reported in our TUP 2013 wave.
While some of the increase has come from a growing adult population, the share of adults actively connected has also grown, due in large part to the increasing use of smartphones.
The use of tablets such as Apple’s iPad has also expanded since 2013, although declined somewhat in 2017.
Home printers – refilled or original? [TUPdate]
Dan Ness, Principal Analyst, MetaFacts, March 19, 2018
When consumers buy a home printer, they’re also buying ink for as long as they use their printer. HP has the lowest rate of US consumers using refilled ink. Of the major brands, HP has the lowest share – 16%, while Brother and Dell have the highest share, 37%. Over the last two years, this refill share has only slightly wavered.
This is based on the most recent wave of TUP/Technology User Profile, the 2017 edition.
The majority of HP’s home printer customers are using HP’s ink, and only 7% are using a replacement brand such as Office Depot or Staples.
Voice assistants-does age matter? [MetaFAQs]
Dan Ness, Principal Analyst, MetaFacts, March 13, 2018 Age matters when it comes to voice assistant use, and it’s overly simplistic to say that they’re mostly being used by younger adults. Yes, there’s a strong age difference between active voice assistant users, former users, and those who’ve never even given one a try. Age by…
Online and offline seniors – hidden in plain sight [TUPdate]
Dan Ness, Principal Analyst, MetaFacts, January 16, 2018
The number of actively connected seniors continues to rise, even while their connection rate has stalled. Also, seniors are very active with their connected devices, from PCs to tablets and smartphones.
There are more American seniors online than ever before. This is primarily due to two factors – rapid mobile phone adoption and the growing number of seniors in the U.S. population. Based on our TUP/Technology User Profile 2017 survey, nearly 44 million adults age 62 and older actively using a PC, tablet, mobile phone, or game console to connect to the Internet.
A market segment often overlooked or derided by the tech industry, seniors have been increasingly embracing technology, weaving it into the fabric of their lives.
Tech employees are youngest [TUPdate]
Dan Ness, Principal Analyst, MetaFacts, January 10, 2018
Employees in technology roles or industries are strikingly younger than employees in other US employment roles and industries.
As released in our most recent wave of TUP/Technology User Profile 2017 – our research shows that employees in either technology-focused roles or in technology-oriented industries are much younger than the average American employee. Also, those employed in both technology roles and technology industries are the youngest of all.
K-12 children and technology spending [TUPdate]
Spending on technology is highest among adults with children per MetaFacts TUP research.
The Gift of a Home PC [TUPdate]
Dan Ness, Principal Analyst, MetaFacts, November 3, 2017
Many home PCs arrive wrapped with a bow, having been a gift from some well-meaning friend or family member. In our most recent wave of TUP/Technology User Profile (2017 US), we found that 11% of recently acquired (2016 or 2017) home PCs were acquired as a gift.
Many of the gift Home PCs came with more than wrapping, with a higher-than-average share bundled with a scanner, monitor/display, and printer. It stands to reason that these generous donors are including their used scanners, monitors, and printers.
Clouds forming [TUPdate]
Dan Ness, Principal Analyst, MetaFacts, April 13, 2017 The terms “free” and “unlimited” continue to entice consumers and employees alike, in offers of faster bandwidth to larger data storage. The promise of enormous, convenient, and always-available storage space is helping Google, Apple, and Microsoft attract and retain customers within their fold. It’s also helping Amazon…