Online adults around the world have continued to use fewer devices than in the past. Computers have been declining in use both in numbers and overall market penetration. Windows PCs have continued their trend of being used by fewer adults, as smartphones grow in their breadth of usage. This MetaFAQs reports on the percentage of online adults using Windows PCs, Apple Macs, Apple iPhones, Android smartphones, Apple iPads, Android tablets, and Windows tablets.
Smartphones continue displacing computers as primary device
Smartphones have continued to grow in use as the primary device among many, but not all, online adults. Online adults in the US and UK reach first for their smartphones, unlike adults in Germany and Japan. This MetaFAQs reports on the primary device in use by online adults – the smartphone, feature phone, computer, tablet, or game console that they use the most often. It includes online adults in the US, Germany, the UK, and Japan.
Youthful clamor for smartwatches
Younger adults around the world are showing stronger forward interest in smartwatches than older adults. In the US, Apple Watch leads most strongly among younger than older adults. This MetaFAQs reports on the purchase plans within the coming year for smartwatches, as well as intentions detailed by Apple Watch, Android smartwatches, other smartwatches, and fitness trackers among online adults in the US, Germany, UK, and Japan.
How employees working from home are balancing their activities
Employees working from home have unique challenges in getting work done while often using personal and employer-provided devices. While seeking to balance their work and personal lives, they are also finding new ways to use their devices. A substantial share regularly does TikTok-type work – creating videos for work and personal purposes. This MetaFAQs reports on the top 10 activities employees that work from home do with their connected devices: smartphones, computers, and tablets. It also identifies which activities are done more often than the average online adult.
Declining use of home computers for work
The share of adults using home computers for work activities has declined sharply from a mid-pandemic peak. Current levels are below pre-pandemic levels. Some of the decline is due to many employees returning to their workplaces. Another factor is the long decline in the use of home computers as online adults embrace their smartphones for an increasing set of activities. This MetaFAQs reports on the percent of online adults using a home computer for any work-related activities from 2019 through 2022, both in the US as well as globally – US, Germany, UK, Japan, and China.
Which activities are primarily done using smartphones, computers, or game consoles?
Smartphones have continued to expand in their use as Americans’ primary connected devices, displacing home and work computers. However, some activities are done primarily with home computers, work computers, and game consoles. Most computer-focused activities are being done by somewhat older Americans, while immersive gaming is done by younger Americans using game consoles.
This TUPdate looks at the primary types of devices used for a wide range of activities: shopping, entertainment, work-related activities, productivity, social networking, cloud storage, communication, and many others. These have been split by age group.
Most employees work from home and expect to be in one year
Only a fraction of worldwide online employed adults always works from home. A larger group never worked from home and never expect to. The largest segment includes those who occasionally work from home, and most expect to be working from home in one year. With the COVID pandemic and ensuing economic changes, many employees worked from home for the first time. As the pandemic continues, there is a wide variation across regions and employers in their policies and support of working from home.
This MetaFAQs reports on how many employees worked from home before the pandemic, how many are currently working from home, and how many expect to be working from home in one year.
Work from home experience & purchase plans
Consumer sentiment for technology purchases has faltered with uncertainty around the economy. Also, many workers are unsure about their work from home status in the future.
This TUPdate reports on the purchase plans among online adults worldwide (US, Germany, UK, Japan, China) and in the US. Four types are split out based on their current work from home status and experience before the pandemic. It specifies their plans to acquire a computer, smartphone, tablet, smartwatch, item tracker, printer, smart home technology, and display/monitor.
Home printers declining among Americans
With each passing year since 2017, fewer Americans are using home printers. Also, the average number of home printers per person is declining. This MetaFAQs reports on the percentage of American adults regularly using a home printer and the average (mean) number of home printers they regularly use.
The abundance of technology among workers working from home
The majority of workers working from home have a range of connected devices available to use for work-related activities, although not all are employer-provided devices. The collection of devices among workers working from home is larger and more varied than those being used by workers not working from home.
This MetaFAQs details those key technology devices that are used more often by American and global (US, Germany, UK, Japan, China) workers working from home than those not working from home.