X, formerly Twitter, experienced a decline in its U.S. user base, dropping to an 18% share by August 2023. Conversely, Meta’s user engagement broadened from 73% to 77% between 2021 and 2023, with their new offering, Instagram Threads, securing 11% of users. While most platforms, including Reddit and LinkedIn, maintained their rankings with minor growth, user loyalty metrics highlighted Facebook and Instagram’s consistent user retention. In demographic insights, LinkedIn and Nextdoor attract highly educated users, while generational data indicates Gen Z favors Twitch and Discord. These user behavior trends are crucial for technology marketers crafting targeted strategies. This TUPdate reports on the percentage of online Americans who have visited each of the major social networking sites in 2021 through 2023 and profiles each site’s users by key demographics.
Home PC trends and generational shifts – 2011-2022 – US
Home computers are losing their preeminence among online Americans. Since 2011, home computers have fallen from near ubiquity among online Americans to being regularly used by a dwindling majority.
This TUPdate reports on the penetration rates of home computers, Windows home PCs, Apple home computers, and Google OS (Chromebook) computers and overall level detailed by age generation. It also identifies how people have changed how they use home computers since the onset of the pandemic.
Long-term smartphone trends and generational shifts – 2011 to 2022 – US
Smartphones have risen to ubiquity from 2011 to 2022, although some generations of Americans have been faster to adopt. Apple iPhones or Android smartphones are stronger among some generations than others. A growing number of Americans are using their smartphones for activities formerly dominant on home computers and tablets, such as personal email and Internet browsing.
This MetaFAQs reports on the penetration of mobile phones, smartphones, Apple iPhones, and Android smartphones from 2011 through 2022, split by generational age group: Gen Z, Millennials, Gen X, Boomers, and Silent/Greatest. Furthermore, it reports on the top five smartphone activities overall and for each of these generations.
Long-term key device trends and generational shifts – 2011 to 2022 – US
The last decade has brought major changes to the set of connected devices that online Americans use and how they use them. While smartphones have replaced feature phones, they have also encroached on computer use. However, these shifts have not been uniform, with some age generations adopting technology faster than others.
This TUPdate reports on the penetration of computers, home computers, work computers, smartphones, feature phones, and tablets from 2011 through 2022. Furthermore, it splits out penetration rates by age generation, from Gen Z to the Silent + Greatest to each generation in between. Also, it identifies the major activities for these key devices.
Long-term printing trends and generational shifts – 2011 to 2022 – US
Most Americans use a printer at home, school, or in a workplace. However, market penetration has sagged over the last five years, and the divide between printer users and non-users has widened.
This TUPdate looks at the long-term trend of printer usage among each generation of Americans. It addresses the question of whether people born around the same time and having grown up with certain technology are increasing or decreasing their printer usage more or less than other generations. The analysis is based on twelve years of TUP user surveys (TUP 2011 through 2022) as each successive generation grows, evolves, and chooses the technology products and services that they use.
Technology wealth of American generations
Which American generation has the largest collection of connected devices? How much does each generation have of the active installed base? How has this shifted between 2021 and 2022?
This TUP analysis reports on the total number of connected devices – mobile phones, PCs, tablets, and game consoles – by generational cohort – Gen Z, Younger/Older Millennials, Younger/Older Gen X, Younger/Older Boomers, and before.
Apple active installed base by country and age
Apple is the envy of many technology companies, primarily for their active installed base of loyal customers. While Apple’s highest penetration is with the iPhone, there is a solid overlap with Macs, iPads, and Apple Watch.
This MetaFAQs reports on the depth of Apple’s customer loyalty as measured by the collection of Apple products they use – iPhones, iPads, and Macs. It reports on the percentage of online adults in the US, the UK, Germany, and Japan that use any of Apple’s key devices and which ones they actively use. It further splits Apple’s installed base by age group, reporting on penetration and the average number of devices used.
The only set of connected devices Americans use
Since 2018 and through the pandemic, fewer online Americans have been using computers, game consoles, feature phones, and tablets. Smartphones, already near saturation levels, have continued to increase market penetration.
Is the smartphone headed towards being the last device standing, or is there some other device combination that is more widely used?
This TUPdate looks at the market penetration of key devices – computers, smartphones, feature phones, game consoles, and tablets – among American adults. Beyond their overall penetration rates, this analysis dives deeper into identifying the device combinations used by three of four American adults, and profiling who uses them.
Notebook/laptop usage by socioeconomic groups
Older Americans have discovered laptops as they increasingly see the appeal of mobile computing. Americans working from home had a momentary surge in laptop usage while working at home.
Market penetration rates have dropped to pre-pandemic levels or below. Historically disadvantaged groups have had the sharpest decline in active laptop use.
This TUPdate looks at the profile of American adults who currently use a notebook/laptop along several lines: the socioeconomic group they are part of, their life stage, employment status, and age.
Smartphone usage by socioeconomic groups
A surging group of older Americans has adopted smartphones, driving up the average age of smartphone users. Market growth took place among upper and lower socioeconomic groups, balancing many past inequities. While the younger Gen Z generation is often envisioned as exclusively using newer technology, economic realities have contributed to the temporary decline in smartphone use.
This TUPdate looks at the profile of American adults who currently use a smartphone along several lines: the socioeconomic group they are part of, their life stage, employment status, and age.