Home computers began to decline in use in 2018, a drop that accelerated with the pandemic’s onset. Younger adults across multiple countries were the first to reduce their home computer use which older adults then followed. In 2023, all age groups across the countries surveyed have reduced the share that actively uses a home computer. Usage is lowest among younger adults, although rates are also lower among older adults than in 2017.
Thie MetaFAQ reports on the percentage of online adults who regularly use a home computer, split by country (US, Germany, UK, Japan, and China) and age group. Report [TUP_doc_2024_0120_pcat] in TUP Lenses: PCs; User Profile
Game consoles continue among the young at heart after an early pandemic surge
The active use of a game console is primarily the domain of younger adults. However, the entertainment devices are not limited to the youngest adults as market penetration remains nearly as high among 40-somethings as among the age 18 to 24 adult. Following the onset of the pandemic, game console penetration reached new highs among most age groups and countries, only to settle back towards historical levels.
This MetaFAQs reports on the percentage of online adults actively using a game console split by age group and country. Report [TUP_doc_2024_0216_yapt] in TUP Lenses: User Profile; Game Consoles, Gaming PCs, and Game-Playing
Smartphone replacement delays widespread across many countries and generations
Across the US, Germany, Japan, and China, a declining share of adults acquired smartphones in the prior year. Only in the UK have we seen a recent expansion of smartphone buyers. Gen Z adults are showing the widest variation, partly due to their rapidly shifting employment statuses and financial situations since the onset of the pandemic.
This MetaFAQs reports on the percentage of online adults who have acquired a smartphone in the prior 12 months split by country and age generation. Report [TUP_doc_2024_0115_spnt] in TUP Lenses: Mobile Phones; User Profile
Home PCs shine again for remote work
The rapid spread of the pandemic caught many employers and employees by surprise. Most were unprepared to work remotely and many were uncertain how long they might be working remotely. Consequently, many workers simply used their personally-owned home computers to get work done. Although 2020 saw high levels of home PC use for work which then shrunk markedly in 2021, we’re now seeing a return to broad home PC use for work. Using a home PC for work activities is a widespread practice, even among workers who may have an employer-provided PC available to them when they are in the workplace. Although work email is a major activity for home PCs, there is a long list of work activities regularly done by many remote workers.
This MetaFAQ reports on the percentage of remote workers and workers who never work remotely that use a home computer for work-related activities. This is split by country. Further, this report details the list of work-related activities that remote workers regularly do with their home PC. Report [TUP_doc_2024_0113_hwrt] in TUP Lenses: PCs; User Profile; Households; Activities; Work/Life Balance
Employee PC hours sag, although IT/FIRE/Professional industries still lead
Employees in IT/FIRE/Professional use computers for the most hours – Many employees rely on PCs to get their work done, whether it’s using intensive software tailored to their profession or generic software used across many industries. The most intensive use of PCs among employees is within the IT/FIRE/Professional industries, those jobs that include Information Technology, Finance, Insurance, Real Estate, or professions such as legal, medical, or others. Other industries, such as the Service industries, account for the largest total PC hours mostly due to the many employees within their ranks. Across nearly all industries and countries surveyed, PC hours among employees has been declining.
This MetaFAQ reports on the mean and total number of weekly hours employees use PCs, split by industry group and country, detailing the trend from 2020 through 2023. Report [TUP_doc_2024_0104_firt] in TUP Lenses: Devices; User Profile
A large and growing share of online adults live alone
Many technology services have focused efforts on gaining subscriptions among families, including offering family plans that specifically reward households with many members. A sizable and growing share of the online population is excluded from those offers due to the growing share of adults living alone. In every country surveyed from 2017 to 2023, the share of online adults with only one person in the households is higher than ever.
This MetaFAQ reports on the percentage of online adults who live in a household of only one person, split by country: US, Germany, UK, Japan, and China’s and India’s upper-socioeconomic adults. Report [TUP_doc_2024_0111_alot] in TUP Lenses: User Profile; Households
Early generations cling to Android tablets
The tablet market has been dominated by Apple’s iPads and a hodgepodge of Google Android tablets. There is a strong positive association between a user’s smartphone operating system and that of their tablets. Google Android tablets have their strongest share among German adults, especially those in earlier generations. Gen Z adults seem to have little appetite for Google Android tablets, even within Germany.
This MetaFAQ reports on the percentage of adult tablet users using a Google Android tablet, split by country and age generation. Report [TUP_doc_2024_0108_andt] in TUP Lenses: Tablets
Used and refurbished computer market health and youth
The market for used or refurbished computers is healthy, steady, and widespread. It is a common and ongoing practice among adults in the US, Germany, UK, and Japan. There is a youthful skew, especially among younger Americans.
This MetaFAQ reports on the percentage of home PCs acquired as used or refurbished, split by country and user age group.
Smaller employers rely on workers’ home PCs
During the pandemic, as workers began to work from home, they shifted rapidly to use whatever technology they had. Even after many employees have returned to the workplace, whether on a regular or hybrid basis, the share of workers using a home PC for work continues to outnumber those using an employer-provided PC. The trend in the gap between home and work PCs has narrowed within some sectors, namely in the US and Japan among larger employers, and remains wide among smaller employers around the world.
This MetaFAQ reports on the percentage of workers – full-time, part-time, or self-employed – who use a home PC for work-related activities as compared to those using a work PC for work-related activities, split by the size of the employer. Report [TUP_doc_2024_0103_byot] in TUP Lenses: PCs; User Profile; Activities; Work/Life Balance
Young Americans fully embrace MacBooks for the first time
Apple Mac laptops reach parity among Windows PCs among young Americans – Apple’s MacBooks have been squarley marketed towards younger adults for many years. Only in 2023 can it be said that Apple caught up to Windows, with Apple’s share of active users aged 18 to 24 having basically the same share as Microsoft’s. Apple’s growth has been taking place slowly and steadily since 2017.
This MetaFAQ reports on the percentage of adult notebook/laptop users using either an Apple or Windows notebook/laptop, detailed by age group and country. Report [TUP_doc_2024_0101_182t] in TUP Lenses: Devices; PCs; User Profile; Technology Ecosystems