Gamers pass the halfway mark – Over half of the online adults in the US, UK, and highly-educated segments in China regularly play games using their connected devices. While Generation Z leads in game-playing rates, it’s a popular activity across all age groups. Interestingly, there’s no single predominant device for gaming. Smartphones are more prevalent for gaming than consoles among adults in many countries, particularly among Gen X and Boomers. While gaming PCs are gaining traction, their presence is still less than most platforms, barring tablets. Notably, only a minority of Gen X and Boomer players prefer tablets over gaming PCs. This MetaFAQs provides the detailed penetration of game-playing activity, segmented by platform, country, and generation. Report [TUP_doc_2023_1009_game] in TUP Lenses: User Profile; Activities; Game Consoles, Gaming PCs, and Game-Playing
Peak smartwatch? Time for a strategy shift
Smartwatches have quickly gained popularity, gracing the wrists of millions. These devices offer more than just timekeeping and fitness monitoring; they’ve evolved into personal assistants. Users value their multi-functionality, utilizing them for calendars, health metrics, reminders, and more. In addition, they’ve become a symbol of modern luxury. However, the latest wave of TUP confirms that the smartwatch market penetration seems to have reached a peak or plateau. Now, it’s largely about replacing older models rather than attracting first-time users. Therefore, manufacturers need to adapt their strategies, focusing less on expanding their user base and more on meeting the needs of existing customers.
These TUP tables report on the number and percentage of online adults regularly using a smartwatch such as an Apple Watch. They also include the number who are planning to purchase one within the coming 12 months.
Adulting Millennials prioritize computers
As Millennials transition into adulthood “aka adulting” they have moved from their pioneering smartphone focus and shifted more of their attention towards personal computers. At present, they spend more hours on PCs than any other age generation. One primary reason for this shift is the prevalent use of PCs for work-related activities. But it’s not just about work; their technological expertise, honed over years, plays a significant role. Millennials possess a unique mastery of modern technology, making them device-agnostic. They prioritize functionality over device type loyalty. Furthermore, their preference for larger screens makes PCs an ideal choice. These devices offer bigger displays and multitasking capabilities, which often surpass those of smartphones or tablets, especially for collaboration and web-based meetings. This MetaFAQs reports the number the weekly hours each age generation – Gen Z, Millennials, Gen X, and Boomers/Silent – uses a computer. Report [TUP_doc_2023_0927_mill] in TUP Lenses: PCs; User Profile
Generational insights into printer trends
Printers have seen a decline in usage, but interestingly, specific generational cohorts show varied printer adoption rates. It’s essential to note that generations are defined by the era of their birth, not merely age. These cohorts share common experiences and often adopt behaviors influenced by peers born in the same timeframe, leading to distinct technological preferences and habits. The broader use of printers among the Boomer/Silent generations is more a reflection of deeply engrained habits than merely of age. This MetaFAQs reports on the number of printers actively used by online adults within generational age groups and country.
Modern communication shifts to coalesce around three modes
Communication methods have evolved over the past few decades. While landlines were once predominant, they’ve now taken a backseat. Asynchronous communication, like email, offers the advantage of connecting without simultaneous availability, often more convenient and effective. Text messaging, in particular, has experienced a significant rise, now standing as a leading communication method alongside emails.
Interestingly, while smartphones are labeled “phones,” their initial use leaned more toward texting than calling. However, synchronous communication methods are making a comeback on these devices. Email, text messaging, and phone calls share nearly equal user numbers, showcasing varied preferences among users.
Meanwhile, group communication methods from shared platforms like Microsoft Teams and Slack to video meetings hosted by Zoom and Webex have primarily met acceptance among a selected market subset.
Our communication choices often depend on reciprocation, given its two-way nature. As a result, user groups may flock together toward specific communication modes, either adopting new methods or moving away from older ones.
These trends offer invaluable insights for telecom companies, handset manufacturers, and those aiming to understand or influence consumer behaviors. The TUP data provides detailed information about communication preferences across different countries and generations, highlighting the frequency of use for email, text messaging, and phone calls among similar cohorts.
Long-term printing trends and generational shifts – 2011 to 2023 – 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 thirteen years of TUP user surveys (TUP 2011 through 2023) as each successive generation grows, evolves, and chooses the technology products and services they use.
Market potential for Apple Vision Pro and VR/AR/MR headsets
Apple has recently unveiled Vision Pro, a product with broader potential for applications well beyond the immersive-game orientation of many initial headsets. The presentation at the launch showcased Vision Pro’s versatility, demonstrating its potential ability to revolutionize a host of activities of many types: entertainment, communication, collaboration, productivity, creativity, and videography. Furthermore, the demo subtly highlighted the potential benefits of Apple’s ecosystem and tighter integration.
Interestingly, gaming and industrial applications, frequently highlighted in the launches of competing VR/AR/MR (Virtual Reality, Augmented Reality, Mixed Reality) headsets, were not included in the Vision Pro demo. This divergence indicates a strategic focus away from a unique niche segment of the market.
Analyzing consumer technology trends requires tracking behaviors, a practice underscored by years of TUP/Technology User Profile research. The mantra that ‘actions speak loudest’ remains as pertinent today as ever. The activities people engage in are the most reliable indicators of consumer technology adoption patterns. It is less about which devices or electronics consumers use; their behaviors are the most important.
An intriguing insight from TUP’s ongoing research is that people switch devices quickly and alter their behavior slowly. Consequently, it becomes crucial to explore the number of people who regularly engage in any given activity, which the research does in detail.
The research also sets out to identify the market size for each of these activities. It quantifies how many people participate in a broad range of these activities.
Furthermore, the report also highlights demographic details, Apple’s brand loyalty, and current VR headset penetration rates. By doing so, the study is expected to offer valuable insights into the potential future for VR/AR/MR headsets such as Apple’s Vision Pro.
Highlights: Devices
There has been a sea change in which connected devices people use as well as how they use them. This TUP Highlights report details the trends in device ownership, the shifts between technology ecosystems, and market penetration levels. It spells out the major activities for each type of device, and how usage has changed. Furthermore, it details how many employees use personal devices for remote work.
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? This TUP analysis reports on the total number of connected devices – mobile phones, PCs, tablets, and game consoles – by generational cohort – GenZ, Younger/Older Millennials, Younger/Older GenX, Younger/Older Boomers, and before.