The active use of a voice assistant through one’s primary device is still a niche activity, although it is trending upwards after a decline following the onset of the pandemic. There is a generational bias in that Gen Z and millennial adults have the highest rates in most countries surveyed.
This MetaFAQs reports on the percentage of online adults who have used a voice assistant through their primary connected device – a smartphone, computer, or tablet – within the last month. The results are split by country and age generation. Report [TUP_doc_2024_0226_yvot] in TUP Lenses: Mobile Phones; Consumer Electronics; User Profile; Activities; Technology Ecosystems; Wearables, Hearables, Listening, and Speaking
Gen Z and millennial voices are heard, by assistants
Voice commands preceded the hype of AI with the promise that technology users would be able to get things done with their voices. Market reception was robust initially, then sagged, and has since returned to moderate levels among certain age groups. A skew toward higher market penetration among younger adults is apparent in the US and UK but less in Germany and China.
This MetaFAQs reports on the percentage of online adults who use a voice assistant through their primary connected device – a smartphone, computer, tablet, or game console, divided by age group and country. Report [TUP_doc_2024_0113_yvoi] in TUP Lenses: Mobile Phones; Consumer Electronics; User Profile; Activities; Technology Ecosystems; Wearables, Hearables, Listening, and Speaking
Profile of Americans actively using a Google assistant
Active use of voice assistants is relatively low among Americans, despite being supported by many smart devices. Less than six (15%) American online adults regularly use Google Assistant. The highest concentration of these users is middle-aged male parents.
This MetaFAQs profiles American users of Google Assistant by their demographics, including age, gender, employment status, presence of children, and life stage. It also details the number of computers regularly used and the mixture of technology ecosystems.
Profile of Americans actively using Alexa voice assistant
Being able to control one’s environment by simply speaking was well-popularized in the 1960’s through the television series Star Trek. Within the last decade, Amazon jumped in with its voice assistant and smart speaker offerings as have rivals Apple, Google, and others. Currently, only one in ten American adults regularly use Amazon Alexa. This MetaFAQs profiles American active Amazon Alexa users by several critical demographic and behavioral factors distinctive from the average American online adult: age group and age within gender, employment status, presence of children, life stage, number of home PCs used, and mix of technology ecosystems.
Highlights: Technology Ecosystems
While some device makers focus on speeds, feeds, and features, others are playing the long game to build long-term customer loyalty through ecosystems. This TUP Technology Ecosystems Highlights report reports on the size of leading technology ecosystems, which types of devices are dominating (or not), and their longer-term trends. It details the unique activities users focus on within certain ecosystems, and profiles each ecosystem’s users.
Highlights: Home Entertainment
Home is where the fun is, enhanced by VR headsets, game consoles, smart speakers, smartphones, tablets, and computers. Home entertainment using technology devices and services is dominated by younger adults and parents, although not entirely so.
This TUP Highlights report includes the following sections: the profile of home entertainment users, home entertainment devices, and home entertainment trends.
Highlights: Activities
What we do paints a richer picture than what we carry or own. All computers are not used the same and nor are smartphones or tablets. Each user has their preference about how they spend their time. Also, each user expresses their choices about which connected devices they turn to for each type of activity. While some see their tablets as passive movie screens, others rely on them as communication hubs. Some users prefer to shop on a computer, while others rely more on their smartphones.
This TUP Highlights report includes the following sections: main activities across all tech devices, major activities for each device type, activities unique to which device type, cross-device activities, the profile of activity type users, major activities for a market segment, home entertainment activities, the profile by key activities, and listening activities.
Highlights: Mobile Phones
This TUP Highlights Report profiles smartphones – their market penetration, user demographic profile, their regular activities, usage profile, key competitors, and purchase plans.
Highlights: Wearables, Hearables, Listening & Speaking
Entertainment, communication, and smart homes have all evolved beyond requiring typing on a keyboard or sitting near PC speakers. Wearable and hearables have extended a broad range of audible activities further towards a more personal convenience. However, active usage of any wearables or hearables has varied considerably across market segments. While Bluetooth headphones are widespread, VR headsets persist as niche products among a younger, more affluent, and tech-savvy segment. Smart speakers, in contrast, are showing signs of having peaked after rising in use among a middle market.
This TUP Highlights report includes the following sections: wearables penetration, hearables penetration, wearable devices used, trends in wearables and hearables, purchase plans for wearables, listening activities, penetration of voice assistant usage, the profile of voice assistant users, the profile of hearables users, and the profile of wearables users.
Highlights: Consumer Electronics
Hearables are having a tumultuous time during the pandemic, and users adapt to shifting situations. Webcams are a significant force, as are wireless Bluetooth headsets, both pivotal for users working or schooling from home. Meanwhile, voice-enabled speakers have reached a plateau, reaching their largest share among neither the youngest nor oldest adults. Smartwatches have made inroads across nearly all age groups, especially younger employed adults.
This TUP Highlights report includes the following sections: purchase plans for wearables, hearables penetration, wearables penetration, trends in consumer electronics, the profile of hearables users, the profile of wearables users, the profile of key consumer electronics users, and device activities compared to consumer electronics.